{"id":2225638,"date":"2024-04-19T20:19:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-20T00:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-trial-prosecutors-withhold-witness-lineup-from-former-presidents-team\/"},"modified":"2024-04-19T20:23:19","modified_gmt":"2024-04-20T00:23:19","slug":"trump-trial-prosecutors-withhold-witness-lineup-from-former-presidents-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-trial-prosecutors-withhold-witness-lineup-from-former-presidents-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Prosecutors Keep Witness Lineup From Trump&#8217;s Legal Team During Trial"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-trial-prosecutors-withhold-witness-lineup-from-former-presidents-team%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2225638&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Prosecutors in Donald Trump&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/donald-trumps-criminal-hush-money-trial-set-for-march-25\/\" title=\"Trump's hush money trial scheduled for March 25\">hush money trial<\/a> in New York made the unusual decision to withhold the witness lineup from Trump&#8217;s legal team. This move, led by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, \u2064caused tension \u200das the defense sought information. The decision came amidst concerns of witness tampering and the sensitivity of the case. The trial&#8217;s dynamics and legal strategies are scrutinized \u200cas\u2063 the proceedings unfold.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Prosecutors made the unusual decision this week to remain almost entirely mum about the order in which they planned to call their first witnesses in former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Donald Trump\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s hush money trial in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/new-york\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"New York\">New York<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Joshua Steinglass, a prosecutor working on behalf of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, said Friday evening he would let Trump\u2019s attorneys know the name of their first witness on Sunday night, the day before opening arguments in the case are set to begin, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/live-updates\/2024\/04\/19\/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial\/no-disclosure-of-witness-list-00153443\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>report<\/a> from the courtroom. Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/schumer-on-impeachment-senate-will-conduct-a-timely-and-fair-trial\/\" title=\"Schumer on Impeachment: Senate will conduct a timely and fair trial\">defense team<\/a> had asked for the names of the first three witnesses that prosecutors would call.<\/p>\n<p>However, Steinglass warned that if Trump posted about the first witness on social media, he would cease extending defense attorneys the courtesy of a heads-up.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors and defense attorneys receive lists of witnesses before the trial, but they do not know the order in which the opposing parties will call their witnesses. It is common practice for parties to give advanced notice to each other of the general order in which the witnesses will appear.<\/p>\n<p>Steinglass\u2019s remarks about waiting until Sunday to provide the name of the first witness came after prosecutors initially declined altogether to offer any information about the first witnesses they planned to question. Trump\u2019s attorney Todd Blanche had asked on Thursday if Steinglass could tell him who the first three would be.<\/p>\n<p>Steinglass \u201cbalked\u201d at the request and Blanche appeared \u201cmystified\u201d by Steinglass\u2019s negative response to him, according to reports circulated by a pool of courtroom reporters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMr. Trump has been tweeting about the witnesses,\u201d Steinglass told Blanche. \u201cWe\u2019re not telling them who the witnesses are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Blanche then asked Judge Juan Merchan if he could have the information if he promised Trump would not post on social media about the witnesses, to which Merchan replied that he did not believe Blanche could make such a vow.<\/p>\n<p>Attorney Karen Agnifilo, a Trump critic who formerly worked in top positions in the Manhattan DA\u2019s office, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> in an email that prosecutors denying defense attorneys notice about their witness order was abnormal, but she also argued that in her view, it was justified in this case.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe threatens\u00a0witnesses so when that happens that is what they do,\u201d Agnifilo said.<\/p>\n<p>Conservative attorney Andy McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor, said Merchan should allow extra time for Trump\u2019s attorneys to prepare for their cross-examination of witnesses if the judge is going to allow prosecutors to withhold their names until the last minute.<\/p>\n<p>McCarthy also noted that while Trump has made aggressive remarks about witnesses, such as calling known witness Michael Cohen a \u201csleaze bag\u201d who has been \u201cprosecuted for LYING,\u201d he has not threatened Cohen or any others in the case.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThreatening witnesses is a crime,\u201d McCarthy told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cIf Bragg had evidence of threats, he would charge Trump \u2014 in light of how ludicrous the case Bragg has charged is, you have to figure he\u2019d indict Trump for a more serious offense if he had the proof.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In terms of witnesses, Trump has mainly targeted Cohen but has also mentioned another expected witness, Stormy Daniels, to whom Bragg alleges Trump hid payments to help his 2016 election prospects.<\/p>\n<p>Through a gag order, Merchan restricted Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, from speaking about witnesses in the case. Merchan cited the \u201csingular power\u201d Trump\u2019s words have on \u201ccountless others,\u201d and he said prosecutors made a \u201ccompelling\u201d argument that Trump\u2019s words prompt his supporters to lob threatening remarks at Trump\u2019s targets.<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s comments about Cohen and Daniels are not bringing them newfound public attention, however.<\/p>\n<p>The pair have, unlike other witnesses in the case, embraced public personas that largely involve criticizing Trump. Cohen has his own podcast and several books, including a book called <em>Revenge<\/em> about Trump, and Daniels has released a documentary about herself that details her experiences with the former president. Cohen has in recent weeks also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/2970187\/michael-cohen-witness-trumps-trial-media-blitz-credibility-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>ramped up<\/a> his media appearances as he attempts to defend his credibility in anticipation of defense attorneys showcasing how Cohen has pleaded guilty to federal crimes of lying to a bank and to Congress.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think Trump should speak disparagingly about witnesses, and I don\u2019t like the rabid behavior of some Trump supporters, but saying, for example, that Michael Cohen is a convicted perjurer is not a \u2018threat\u2019; it\u2019s a fact,\u201d McCarthy noted.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Andrew Warren, a Florida-based Democratic attorney and former federal prosecutor, noted that even if prosecutors were to give no notice to Trump\u2019s team about witnesses, it should not disadvantage the defense.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kyle-rittenhouse-makes-first-in-person-court-appearance\/\" title=\"Kyle Rittenhouse makes first in-person court appearance\">witness lists<\/a> are turned over far in advance,\u201d Warren said. \u201cSo whether the witness is called the first day of trial or the tenth day of trial, the attorneys have prepared for this. It would be unusual if a party said, \u2018We\u2019re not prepared to cross-examine a witness until you let us know that that witness is coming in next.\u2019 That would be highly unusual.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This week, prosecutors stayed unusually silent on their witness lineup order in ex-President Donald Trump&#8217;s hush money trial in New York. Joshua Steinglass, a prosecutor for Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, mentioned on Friday that they would not disclose this information to Trump\u2019s legal team<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":2225639,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/bragg-trump.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2225638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/bragg-trump.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2225638"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225638\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2225639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2225638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2225638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2225638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}