Posted on 05/21/2024 9:45:45 AM PDT by JSM_Liberty
The defense rested in Donald Trump’s criminal trial on Tuesday, without the former president himself testifying.
Trump had previously railed about being silenced and falsely claimed he was not allowed to testify, but ultimately elected of his own volition not to take the stand in his own defense.
Trump’s decision came without fanfare. The move was not surprising – defendants in criminal cases rarely testify, because they would be subject to cross-examination, during which they could easily say something that harms their defense – but followed several instances of Trump claiming he was not allowed to do so.
The judge, Juan Merchan, had gone so far as to address Trump’s claims, saying: “I want to stress, Mr Trump, that you have an absolute right to testify at trial,” and adding that the gag order preventing Trump from verbally attacking witnesses did not affect his right to take the stand. After the defense rested Merchan, told jurors to return on Tuesday 28 May for closing arguments. Merchan said he would also announce his instructions to jurors the next day and expected that they would then start deliberating.
The trial had resumed earlier Monday with continued cross-examination of Robert Costello, whom the defense has used to try to discredit the former president’s one-time fixer, Michael Cohen.
Trump entered the courtroom just before 9.30am. The former president, who is all but guaranteed to be the Republican presidential nominee, is charged with falsifying business records related to paying the adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 for her silence about an alleged sexual liaison.
Manhattan prosecutors allege that Trump plotted in summer 2015 with Cohen, then Trump’s consigliere, and the former tabloid head David Pecker to keep any damaging information under wraps in an effort to protect his candidacy in the 2016 election....
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
>“I want to stress, Mr Trump, that you have an absolute right to testify at trial,”
so we can make the next trial about perjury.
Finally over. Hoping for the best outcome.
Did Bill and Hillary plot before the 1992 election?
Has any successful politician ever been eager to get damaging information about himself or herself out there?
The article describes a “plot” without ever mentioning the actual nothing charge of a false bookkeeping entry.
Then they lie that Trump bragged about actually grabbing women without consent.
These scumbag leftists will never report the truth.
Im glad that Trump didnt testify, if you’re winning there is ZERO reason to give the DA any ammunition..it would have been different had the DA’s case looked good and Trump was in trouble than yes, it would have been a good idea to testify, but the DA has ZERO case, Cohen blew himself up on the stand, if this jury has even an OUNCE of common sense they will acquit Trump, but the best we can hope for is a hung jury after all this is Manhattan, they dont care about evidence, they care about making sure Trump isnt elected President
Has the handpicked jury found him guilty yet?
Obamas school records are still sealed IIRC.
How long will the jury take
The jury was dismissed this morning and are not to return until NEXT Tuesday.
My guess is that the abrupt resting of the case by the defense is an effort to bring this circus to a quick end so Trump can get back on the campaign trail. Obviously there should be no conviction, but, regardless, Trump escapes from Merchan’s courtroom and regains control over his movement. Note how Merchan’s Tuesday reconvene date tries to kick the can as far down the road as possible to maintain control over Trump.
“Note how Merchan’s Tuesday reconvene date tries to kick the can as far down the road as possible to maintain control over Trump”
And I’m guessing there’ll be at least one or two more legal “delays” either by the prosecution or the judge to even further drag it out.
And now Merchan will just declare guilty regardless. This entire trial is a total sham.
Has the handpicked jury found him guilty yet?
—
They found him guilty the day they were sworn in.
I find this time to kick the can down the road leading to judge and prosecution needing time for more skulduggery. Remember when the vote counting stopped in 2020? Then all of the sudden Jobama is running ahead. I remember because I got home at 1100 on election night-the dems stalled the count. Stalling by dems and a dem judge is unscrupulous! The trial should be done this week!
Come on, don't you understand that the Democrats can change the rules anytime they want ?
That's what we call "The Rule of Law."
No, everything is timed and planned to get a "guilty" on at least one count before the next debate.
Never mind that the verdict is going to be thrown out on appeal, Biden wants to be able to go into the June debate against a "convicted felon".
Soon.
One reason why Trump should’ve never have goaded those evil POS FJB people. They are slimy and slippery as stepping on diarrhea! They are going to do everything in their power to corner Trump. Mark my words it’s going to be three against one and it’s gonna be nothing but about the NY conviction. Trump needs to be a little bit wiser with his words. There was no reason for him to debate this SOB this early in the game! They literally got everything they demanded from Trump’s team and now his only way out is if he stipulates in the debate agreements that FJB be tested for drugs and be searched for a hearing aid. If they refuse then refuse to debate! PERIOD!
They just can’t stop with the bias, can they? Cohen was Trump’s “consigliere”? Not lawyer, not advisor, nut a position with a very specific connotation, namely implying that Trump’s organization is on par with the mafia.
Sure, Trump can get a fair trial. Right.
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