Former President Donald Trump is currently facing a hush money trial in New York, where prosecutors and defense lawyers are set to deliver closing arguments to the jury. This trial marks the first time a former American president has been charged with felony crimes. The prosecutors will aim to convince the jury to convict Trump on all charges, while the defense will seek to create doubts about the strength of the evidence by challenging the credibility of Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and personal fixer.
The case revolves around a $130,000 payment made by Cohen to porn actor Stormy Daniels in the final days of the 2016 election to prevent her from going public with her story of a sexual encounter she claims to have had with Trump ten years prior. Trump has denied Daniels’ account and has stated that the payments were for legal services. However, prosecutors allege that the payments were designed to conceal the true purpose of the transaction with Daniels and to interfere illegally in the 2016 election. The jury will have the task of deciding whether Trump is guilty of falsifying business records.
During the trial, witness testimony included Daniels recounting the encounter she says she had with Trump, as well as David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, who testified about protecting Trump by suppressing damaging stories. Cohen, a key witness for the prosecution, stated that Trump was intimately involved in the hush money discussions. Prosecutors are expected to highlight the documentary evidence and audio recordings that support their case, while the defense will focus on discrediting Cohen and arguing that the payments were legitimate.
As the trial nears its conclusion, the judge will instruct the jury on the law governing the case and the factors they can consider during deliberations. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, which could result in a prison sentence of up to four years. He has pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing. The trial has seen numerous dramatic moments, including Judge Merchan imposing fines on Trump for violating a gag order. This trial is just one of four criminal cases that Trump is currently facing as he seeks to return to the White House in the upcoming election against Democrat Joe Biden.
The closing arguments in the hush money trial will be crucial for both the prosecution and defense as they make their final appeals to the jury. The jurors will deliberate in secret, and any clues to their thinking may come through notes they send to the judge with questions. The outcome of this trial could have significant implications for Trump and his future political ambitions. As the first former president to face such charges, the verdict will be closely watched and could impact the other legal challenges he is currently facing. The trial represents a historic moment in American politics and judicial proceedings.
