Defense rests in Trump hush money trial without former president’s testimony

Attorneys for Donald Trump rested their case Tuesday with out calling him to testify within the first prison trial of a former president — and after a protection witness acquired right into a heated backwards and forwards with one of many prosecutors.

Trump had stated earlier than the trial in New York Metropolis that he would “completely” testify. “I’m testifying. I inform the reality. I imply, all I can do is inform the reality. And the reality is that there is no such thing as a case,” he stated April 12, although he had since softened his stance. His lawyer Alina Habba, who represented him in his civil trials however not the prison case, instructed Fox Information on Monday that Trump “needs to testify. … He is completely prepared to inform the reality.”

Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. was in court docket for the proceedings and stated afterward that his father, who’s charged with falsifying enterprise information associated to a hush cash cost to an grownup movie star, had accomplished the suitable factor by not taking the stand. “Why would you justify this madness? Have a look at the clowns that they placed on there. You don’t topic your self to that nonsense,” he stated.

Jurors received’t hear closing arguments till Could 28 due to conflicts with jurors’ schedules and the Memorial Day vacation.

Robert Costello, a lawyer who has clashed with Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen — and whom the decide overseeing the hush cash case scolded for disrespectful habits on the witness stand — was the ultimate witness within the trial, which started testimony on April 22.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger continued her cross-examination of Costello by asking about his first assembly with Cohen in April 2018, when a panicked Cohen was contemplating hiring him after federal prosecutors had executed search warrants at his residence and workplace and seized his telephones. Hoffinger requested whether or not Costello touted his ties to Trump ally Rudy Giuliani through the assembly, after they mentioned Costello’s probably representing Cohen. Costello replied that wasn’t true.

Hoffinger then confirmed him an e mail he despatched Cohen two days after their preliminary assembly. “I’m certain you noticed the information that Rudy is becoming a member of the Trump authorized group. I instructed you that my relationship with Rudy may very well be very very helpful to you,” the e-mail stated.

He despatched Cohen one other e mail later that learn: “I spoke with Rudy, very very optimistic, you might be ‘liked.’ If you wish to name me I gives you the small print.” He additionally instructed Cohen, “Sleep effectively tonight, you will have associates in excessive locations.”

Requested by Hoffinger whether or not “associates” was a reference to Trump, Costello acknowledged it was. Costello acquired visibly annoyed as Hoffinger did not permit him to elaborate on a few of his solutions. “As you stated yesterday, the e-mail speaks for itself, right?” Hoffinger stated. “Generally,” Costello responded.

Hoffinger then requested Costello about an e mail wherein he seemed to be pushing Cohen to not hearken to requires him to cooperate, which Costello denied. She requested him whether or not he thought Cohen was “enjoying” him and Trump, and he stated he did not. She then confirmed an e mail Costello despatched to a different lawyer, wherein he wrote: “What ought to I say to this a——? He’s enjoying with probably the most highly effective man on the planet.” 

State Decide Juan Merchan, who’s overseeing the case, dressed down Costello over his facial expressions and snide remarks on the witness stand in Manhattan on Monday. Merchan was so incensed by Costello’s habits that he requested the jury to depart after which ordered the courtroom cleared of journalists and the general public earlier than he reprimanded Costello.

“I am placing you on discover that your conduct is contemptuous. Should you attempt to stare me down another time, I’ll take away you from the stand” and strike his testimony from the report, Merchan stated.

Costello was considered one of two witnesses the protection known as Monday after prosecutors rested their case. The opposite was a paralegal who works for Trump lawyer Todd Blanche, who testified about telephone calls between Costello and Cohen in 2018.

Costello testified that Cohen instructed him that Trump had been unaware of the $130,000 hush cash cost he made to grownup movie actor Stormy Daniels within the closing weeks of the 2016 presidential marketing campaign. Cohen testified throughout his 4 days on the witness stand that he’d lied to Costello as a result of he did not belief him.

Cohen and Costello have taken repeated public jabs at one another within the years since then. “In the event that they wish to go after Donald Trump they usually have stable proof, so be it. However Michael Cohen is way from stable proof,” Costello instructed reporters after he testified earlier than the grand jury within the case final 12 months. “He’s completely unreliable,” Costello stated on the time.

On the finish of court docket Monday, Trump lawyer Emil Bove instructed Merchan that the protection had no different witnesses after Costello however that that was topic to vary. Requested earlier than the trial began whether or not he would take the stand in his personal protection, Trump stated he “completely” would, however that reply has softened within the weeks since then, with Trump saying he’d testify “if vital.”

Cohen was the ultimate witness known as by Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg’s workplace and prosecutors’ twentieth witness total. Beneath questioning from Blanche, Cohen acknowledged Monday that he’d swindled Trump and his firm out of $30,000.

Requested whether or not he “stole from the Trump Group,” Cohen stated, “Sure, sir.”

On cross-examination, Cohen stated he’d accomplished so as a result of he was “indignant” that Trump had slashed his annual bonus in 2016. “It was virtually like self-help,” he stated.

Trump has pleaded not responsible to the 34 counts of falsifying enterprise information associated to the Daniels cost.