As Donald Trump’s first criminal trial nears its conclusion, his lawyers are preparing to argue to the jury next week to avoid convicting him.
On a chaotic day in court, Judge Juan Merchan accused a defense witness of trying to intimidate him, while Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, admitted to stealing money from Trump’s company.
The trial is reaching a crucial point, with Trump’s lawyers making a last-ditch effort to dismiss the case, a tactic that rarely works. Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, argued that the prosecution had not proven that Trump intended to deceive voters in 2016 by falsifying records to cover up a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. The judge seemed skeptical but agreed to consider the request.
Meanwhile, Trump continued to criticize the trial outside the courtroom, calling for the judge to dismiss the case. The prosecution tried to recover from Cohen’s damaging testimony by arguing that the evidence supported their case.
The defense, however, used Cohen’s credibility issues to cast doubt on his entire testimony. The trial has seen dramatic moments, including the judge reprimanding a defense witness for disrespectful behavior. Legal experts are divided on the impact of these developments, but the trial is moving towards a jury decision that will be closely watched across the country.