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Both sides have rested their cases in Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court, after further testimony from the defense’s first and only witness, lawyer Robert Costello. Despite early assurances that he would, Mr Trump did not testify.
After the prosecution rested its case on Monday, the former president’s attorneys ran into trouble when Mr Costello was angrily admonished by Judge Juan Merchan for “staring him down”.
Earlier, Mr Trump’s estranged ex-lawyer Michael Cohen concluded his testimony after more than 17 hours giving evidence.
Cohen endured something of a rocky ride during that time, particularly when he was accused of lying by defense attorney Todd Blanche and challenged over inconsistencies in his statements about the Stormy Daniels payoff at the heart of the case.
Mr Trump denies having an affair with the adult film star and all of the 34 felony charges he faces over the falsification of business records to hide the $130,000 payment made to Ms Daniels in October 2016.
Closing arguments are scheduled for next Tuesday with the jury expected to deliberate from next Wednesday.
Alex Woodward is covering the trial for The Independent at Manhattan Criminal Court.
Defense rests without Trump taking the witness stand
To literally no one’s surprise...
Watch: MSNBC breaks down schedule going forward
MSNBC’s Yasmin Vossoughian breaks down what happens next as we near closing arguments and deliberations in Donald Trump’s historic criminal trial:
Judge: Closing arguments to take one day
Merchan talks to the jurors:
He expects closing arguments to take at least a day, and his instructions to the jury to take an hour.
“My belief is it is always best not to break up summations” so that the jury will hear statements from both parties back to back, followed by jury instructions and deliberations.
“There’s no way we can possibly do what needs to be done in a cohesive manner.”
“At the end of the day I think the best thing we can do is adjourn now until next Tuesday.”
Merchan asks the jurors to consider working next Wednesday so that the closing arguments aren’t broken up by the day off.
We may be looking at the beginning of deliberations on May 29.
The court is being excused until 2:15pm.
When we return, the judge will hold the charging conference.
Defense rests after brief re-cross
After Bove concludes his questioning of Costello, Hoffinger is up again for the prosecution.
Cohen never signed a retainer and never paid you, correct? Correct.
Nothing further.
Judge Merchan: Counsel?
“The defense rests.”
Bove is looking at the June 14 2018 email replicated in full below.
“Was that your pressure Michael Cohen to do anything?”
“No, not at all,” says Costello.
Did you ever pressure Michael Cohen to do anything?
“No, I did not.”
Di you have control over Michael Cohen?
“Clearly not.”
Does a lawyer ever control—
Objection. Sustained.
I just want to ask about how you practice law—
Objection. Sustained.
Costello glanced over at Judge Merchan a couple of times during a series of sustained objections.
Defense begins redirect examination
Trump defense lawyer Emil Bove begins redirect examination.
Costello says that a remark that Cohen “played us” is about their frustration with Cohen refusing to sign a retainer agreement.
Bove: “Were you concerned you were representing Michael Cohen but he hadn’t signed the retainer agreement?”
“Yeah, sure.”
Bove asked Costello to “look at the evidence about who initiated communication” but there’s an objection, a sidebar, and then Merchan sustained.
Prosecution wraps cross-examination
Hoffinger is now drilling down on Costello’s prior testimony that he was only looking out for Cohen when he was pursuing him as a client.
And a new email, from June 22 2018, complaining to Jeff Citron that Cohen “continues to slow play us and the president.”
“Is he totally nuts?” Costello wrote. “What should I say to this asshole? He’s playing with the most powerful man on the planet.”
Hoffinger: “That email certainly speaks for itself, doesn’t it Mr Costello?”
“Yes, it does.”
“You lost control of Michael Cohen for the president, did you not?”
Hoffinger tries again.
“No, I answered no.”
Costello says he doesn’t have any animosity about Cohen.
Asked if he testified to Congress to intimidate him, Costello called the question “ridiculous.”
Nothing further from the prosecution.
Costello denies encouraging Cohen not to cooperate
The court then sees an email exchange between Costello and Cohen in which the former sends the latter a YouTube video leading Cohen to respond: “Why send this to me?”
Costello then replies (as we saw yesterday):
The answer to your question will be found in watching the video. It seems clear to me that you are under the impression that Trump and Giuliani are trying to discredit you and throw you under the bus to use your phrase. I think you are wrong because you are believing the narrative promoted by the left wing media. They want you to believe what they are writing . Many of them are already writing that you are cooperating. This strategy has been consistent from the start to put pressure on you into believing that you are alone, that everyone you knew before is distancing themselves from you and you are being “thrown under the bus.” The whole objective of this exercise by the SDNY is to drain you, emotionally and financially, until you reach a point that you see them as your only means to salvation. I told you that the very first day I met you.
Yesterday you were very upset by the stories they were writing about the end of McDermott Will & Emery. You knew this was coming and this was the plan yet it really seemed to throw you off your game emotionally. Whatever you do in the future on this case, please keep in mind that getting upset and flying off the handle, play into your adversaries hand. I know it is very difficult, but you have to keep your head in these trying times.
You are making a very big mistake if you believe the stories these “journalists” are writing about you. They want you to cave. They want you to fail. They do not want you to persevere and succeed. If you really believe you are not being supported properly by your former boss, then you should make your position known. If you really want certain things to happen, you should make that known. If you really want other lawyers to refrain from saying this or that, you should make it known. You have the ability to make that communication when you want to. Whether you exercise that ability is totally up to you.
Hoffinger asks whether he was encouraging Cohen not to cooperate. “Yes, or no.”
“Let me read it. … OK. And your question is?”
“In this email, are you encouraging him not to cooperate? Yes, or no.”
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2024-05-21 14:45:40Z
CBMicmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmluZGVwZW5kZW50LmNvLnVrL25ld3Mvd29ybGQvYW1lcmljYXMvdXMtcG9saXRpY3MvdHJ1bXAtdHJpYWwtbmV3cy1odXNoLW1vbmV5LWNvaGVuLWxpdmUtYjI1NDc4NDYuaHRtbNIBAA
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