Prosecutors are scheduled to begin their opening statements this morning in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York. explain their case for the jury.
Trump is accused of falsifying business records during the 2016 election campaign to conceal “hush money” payments. Trump’s defense team is expected to argue that Trump was indicted on flimsy evidence from unreliable key witnesses.Opening statements are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
The start of the trial comes after nearly eight years in the making, dating back to days before the 2016 election when its witness, Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, paid the adult film star $130,000. . stormy daniels This is to buy her silence about the alleged sexual encounter. Prosecutors say Trump planned to hide the “hush money” payment by disguising it as a check for ongoing legal services and repaying Cohen in 12-month installments during his first year in office. That’s what it means.Mr Trump is charged last year and 34 felonies Falsification of business records.
President Trump has maintained his innocence in the case, but has denied any sexual contact and has called the incident a “witch hunt” and “election interference.”
Last week, he made a fuss about the case while the trial began. jury selection. Mr. Trump publicly criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and posted about Mr. Bragg, Judge Juan Machan, and Mr. Cohen on social media. But inside the courtroom, Trump was reserved, saying little or even not speaking. looks like he’s nodding The pool of 192 potential jurors has been narrowed down. dozenplus six alternates.
The group will be the first jury in U.S. history to decide a former president in a criminal case.
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After opening statements, prosecutors plan to call former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker as their first witness, according to a person familiar with the plan.
He said Cohen and Trump orchestrated a “catch-and-kill” plan in which Pecker’s publications bought the rights to negative stories about Trump and suppressed them, while also writing about Trump’s opponents. He is expected to testify that he published an unflattering article.
