{"id":2249263,"date":"2024-05-21T07:24:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T11:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/five-takeaways-from-dramatic-day-in-trump-trial-as-prosecution-rests-case\/"},"modified":"2024-05-21T07:26:48","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T11:26:48","slug":"five-takeaways-from-dramatic-day-in-trump-trial-as-prosecution-rests-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/five-takeaways-from-dramatic-day-in-trump-trial-as-prosecution-rests-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Key Points from Intense Day in Trump Trial as Prosecution Concludes"},"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\">22<\/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%2Ffive-takeaways-from-dramatic-day-in-trump-trial-as-prosecution-rests-case%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=2249263&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>The \u2064New York courtroom saw a\u2064 tumultuous day during Donald Trump&#8217;s hush money \u2063trial. The prosecution rested its case against the former president after presenting over 20 witnesses and \u2063substantial evidence. Key witness Robert\u200b Costello&#8217;s testimony was \u2064pivotal, with Trump praising him. Cohen admitted\u2062 to stealing from the Trump Organization, adding further complexity to the trial proceedings. The courtroom in New York experienced a chaotic day during Donald\u200c Trump&#8217;s hush money trial. The prosecution concluded its case against the\u200c ex-president after calling more than 20 witnesses and presenting significant evidence. Robert\u200c Costello&#8217;s crucial testimony\u200c was highlighted and praised by Trump. Additionally, Cohen&#8217;s admission of theft from \u2063the\u2062 Trump Organization \u2063added layers of complexity to the trial.  <\/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><strong>NEW YORK \u2014<\/strong> It was a tumultuous day in court for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2018s hush money trial, where a judge briefly cleared the courtroom after a heated exchange with a witness who had been called to help the former president\u2019s case.<\/p>\n<p>When Trump exited the courtroom on Monday, he praised the witness, Robert Costello, a former adviser to his ex-attorney and fixer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/michael-cohen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Michael Cohen\">Michael Cohen<\/a>. Costello\u2019s words were integral to the defense\u2019s efforts to undercut Cohen\u2019s claims about Trump\u2019s alleged involvement in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-rejects-trump-bid-to-shield-financial-records\/\" title=\"Supreme Court Rejects Trump Bid To Shield Financial Records\">hush money payment<\/a> to porn star Stormy Daniels, for which Trump is now facing charges.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>Former President Donald Trump speaks to the press before his criminal trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday, May 20, 2024, in New York. (Sarah Yenesel\/Pool Photo via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cYou saw what happened to a highly respected lawyer today, Bob Costello. Wow. I\u2019ve never seen anything like that,\u201d Trump said. The former president also said presiding Judge Juan Merchan has a chance to gain back \u201crespect\u201d if he agrees to dismiss the charges before the jury deliberates on whether to convict or acquit Trump of the 34-count indictment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis case should be dropped by the judge,\u201d Trump said, adding if the judge did that, Merchan could \u201cgain the respect back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump, who is under a gag order that prevents him from commenting on witnesses, has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty in the case.<\/p>\n<p>Here are five key takeaways from the dramatic proceedings on Monday.<\/p>\n<h2>Prosecution rests its case against former president<\/h2>\n<p>After calling more than 20 witnesses and showing jurors more than 200 pieces of evidence, prosecutors with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg\u2019s office finished presenting their side of the case against Trump late Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>Their final and most crucial witness was Cohen. After watching prosecutors hammer Cohen about his credibility and key parts of his story for three days during cross-examination, prosecutors\u2019 last move was to elicit testimony from Cohen during a redirect questioning about calls he made to Trump, during which Cohen claims he spoke to Trump about Daniels.<\/p>\n<p>One such call, which Cohen made to Trump\u2019s bodyguard Keith Schiller on the night of Oct. 24, 2016, has been a point of contention throughout the trial.<\/p>\n<p>Defense attorneys highlighted how the call was a mere 90 seconds long and had been preceded by calls and texts between Cohen and Schiller about how Cohen needed to speak with the bodyguard about being harassed by a 14-year-old. They argued Cohen would not have had enough time, in under two minutes, to have a full conversation with Schiller about the harassment and then have a separate conversation with Trump in which the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jim-jordan-subpoenas-prosecutor-who-resigned-from-manhattan-das-office\/\" title=\"Jim Jordan Subpoenas Prosecutor Who Resigned From Manhattan DA's Office\">hush money scheme<\/a> was hatched.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors on Monday countered that by admitting into evidence a still shot of a video of Trump physically near Schiller around the exact same time the call was placed in an attempt to show Cohen could have spoken to Trump about Daniels on the call.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Cohen how many times he believed he conversed with Trump about Daniels in October 2016.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMore than 20,\u201d Cohen replied.<\/p>\n<p>The prosecution was largely expected to rest their case this week. But the decision to do so Monday was still enormous for the trial because it meant Bragg\u2019s office believes it has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump falsified business records with the intent to commit another crime. The other crime, however, remains unspecified.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>Michael Cohen leaves his apartment building on his way to Manhattan criminal court in New York, Monday, May 20, 2024. (AP Photo\/Seth Wenig)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Cohen admits to stealing from Trump Organization<\/h2>\n<p>Trump\u2019s defense attorney Todd Blanche grilled\u00a0Cohen on how he lied about a reimbursement request in 2017 so that the <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-organization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trump Organization<\/a> would overpay him by tens of thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n<p>Cohen testified he was reimbursed $50,000 for payments to Red Finch for technology services but that he only paid Red Finch $20,000, resulting in him effectively stealing money from the Trump Organization.<\/p>\n<p>Blanche\u2019s questions intensified and his voice became high-pitched as he drilled down on the admission.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid you ever have to plead guilty to larceny?\u201d Blanche asked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo, sir,\u201d Cohen said.<\/p>\n<p>The reimbursement was included in the broader $420,000 payment plan that is at the heart of the case against Trump. The plan, which evidence shows was crafted by the Trump Organization\u2019s ex-Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, included paying Cohen for the payment he made to Daniels, the Red Finch payment, an annual bonus, and taxes.<\/p>\n<p>Cohen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3009836\/trump-trial-cohen-admits-stealing-trump-organization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>admitted<\/a> to stealing the Red Finch money and also admitted that because the reimbursement was part of the broader payment plan, the tax aspect of the plan caused the Red Finch payment to Cohen to double. In other words, Cohen admitted to stealing $60,000 rather than $30,000.<\/p>\n<p>When asked by the prosecution about this on redirect, Cohen said he did so because he was angry about getting a lower annual bonus.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was angry because of the reduction in bonus, and so I just felt like it was almost like self-help,\u201d Cohen said.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>Donald Trump, far left, watches as defense attorney Emil Bove questions Robert Costello, right, with Judge Juan Merchan presiding in Manhattan criminal court, Monday, May 20, 2024, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Key points from Robert Costello\u2019s testimony<\/h2>\n<p>Robert Costello, who gave Cohen legal advice when Trump\u2019s ex-fixer was the target of a federal prosecution in April 2018, was asked Monday by defense attorneys about a pivotal meeting Cohen and Costello had at the Regency Hotel that month.<\/p>\n<p>While Costello was severely limited by the judge in what he could say, he emphasized that Cohen appeared to be in a crisis during the meeting and yet had no damning evidence against Trump that could have helped Cohen avoid prosecution.<\/p>\n<p>Costello, a former prosecutor fresh off his revealing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3004761\/michael-cohen-lawyer-accuses-lying-trump-trial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>testimony<\/a> to Congress last week, indicated Monday that his client said \u201cnumerous times\u201d that Trump knew nothing about the hush money payments to Daniels.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMichael Cohen said numerous times that President Trump knew nothing about those payments, that he did this on his own,\u201d Costello said. \u201cAnd he repeated that numerous times.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>Judge Juan Merchan presides over Donald Trump\u2019s trial in Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Judge reprimands Costello and tells reporters to leave courtroom<\/h2>\n<p>When he was seated at the witness stand, Costello audibly reacted in a negative way as Merchan sustained several objections from the prosecution. He audibly said, \u201cGeez,\u201d after one was sustained. Appearing exasperated, Costello also said he would strike one of his own responses from the record after Merchan repeatedly shut down his answers.<\/p>\n<p>Merchan responded to the behavior by asking the jury to leave the courtroom briefly Monday afternoon so he could address Costello\u2019s decorum.<\/p>\n<p>After the judge\u2019s stern warning, Costello gave him a long glare, and Merchan responded by asking, \u201cAre you staring me down?\u201d Then, in a stunning turn, the judge yelled, \u201cClear the courtroom!\u201d The order prompted alarm from the press, and after several minutes, everyone was allowed back into the room.<\/p>\n<p>According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/eorden\/status\/1792709251032666170?s=46&#038;t=KvikDROHiERYpdgCV0ytsA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>transcript<\/a> from Monday\u2019s proceedings, Merchan threatened Costello with contempt while the press was not in the courtroom.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour conduct is contemptuous right now. I\u2019m putting you on notice that your conduct is contemptuous. If you try to stare me down one more time, I will remove you from the stand,\u201d Merchan said.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>Attorneys for former President Donald Trump Todd Blanche, front, and Emil Bove, rear, exit the New York State appellate court, Monday, April 8, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo\/Peter K. Afriyie)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Trump attorney calls for judge to dismiss the charges<\/h2>\n<p>Later in the afternoon, Blanche asked Merchan to dismiss all the charges in the case.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>\u201cSo you\u2019re asking me to find Mr. Cohen not credible as a matter of law?\u201d Merchan asked the lawyer, adding, \u201cYou want me to take it out of the jury\u2019s hands and decide before it even gets to the jury?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes,\u201d Blanche replied. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dem-megadonor-bankman-fried-directed-fraud-ex-girlfriend-tells-jury\/\" title=\"Ex-Girlfriend Accuses Bankman-Fried of Directing Fraud in Court\">defense lawyer argued<\/a> they didn\u2019t just catch Cohen in one lie but rather \u201che came in here with a history of lying.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The move, known as seeking a \u201cdirected verdict,\u201d is not an uncommon ask from a defense attorney.<\/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>Merchan said at the end of the day that he would reserve his decision on the defense\u2019s call to dismiss the charges.<\/p>\n<p>The defense attorneys said they planned to finish questioning Costello on Tuesday and likely had no further witnesses after him. They indicated they could rest their case by Tuesday morning, meaning there is a low chance Trump himself will take the stand.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a fiery courtroom session at Donald Trump&#8217;s hush money trial in New York, tensions ran high as a judge briefly cleared the room following a heated exchange with a key witness, Robert Costello, supported by the former president. Trump commended Costello as he left the courtroom on Monday, amid intense proceedings<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3001,"featured_media":2249264,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24137760751171.jpg.optimal.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2249263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24137760751171.jpg.optimal.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2249263","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\/3001"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2249263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2249263\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2249264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2249263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2249263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2249263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}