Posted on 05/22/2024 5:48:18 AM PDT by Red Badger
(DCNF)—George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said he was concerned about jury instructions related to intent which could allow the 12 members to use a lower standard of proof to convict former President Donald Trump.
New York Judge Juan Merchan, attorneys with the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Trump’s lawyers met Tuesday to discuss what instructions would be given to the jury after former legal adviser to Michael Cohen, Bob Costello, finished his testimony. Turley expressed his concern to Fox News host Neil Cavuto, citing Merchan’s pattern of granting Bragg’s prosecutors leeway.
“The government is arguing some pretty sweeping positions,” Turley told Cavuto. “Among them, they are arguing ‘I don’t have to prove willful intent on all of the elements on all of these actions.’ They’re suggesting that things like unlawful means which is really an important term of influencing election can be satisfied by less than the criminal standard and the defense [is], I think, legitimately saying ‘Whoa, you know, you’re going to convict someone on a lower than criminal standard on an important element.’”
“And this is really the result of this sort of Frankenstein case, you know… Bragg took this dead misdemeanor and zapped that back to life as a felony by sort of stitching together different crimes,” Turley continued. “And now, the government is trying to use that to say, ‘Yeah, we did that, but it also means we don’t have to prove the full criminal standard on all elements.’”
WATCH:
VIDEO AT LINK.................
Bragg secured an indictment of Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in March 2023. Turley noted that Merchan’s treatment of Costello raised concerns that Merchan was displaying bias.
“He has made some good decisions, but they have largely gone in favor of the prosecution,” Turley told Cavuto earlier. “Some of the most important decisions he is taking on advisement, but some of the decisions he’s made today, quite frankly, are hard to figure out, you know, you – for example, with Costello the former attorney for Cohen and the prosecutors stopped Costello from fully answering a question on what he meant in an E-mail. And so when the defense got the chance, they said, ‘Would you like to explain”’ and the prosecution said ‘No, you know, it’s beyond the scope.’ That should have been a ridiculous objection and Merchan, however, sustained it. It was the same scope, he was being asked what did you mean by that, and the judge sustained.”
“So it’s moments like that where you really feel like there might be a thumb on the scale,” Turley continued. “The most important stuff going on right now is probably the least engaging for a passerby. It deals with how the jury will be instructed. That could very well determine the outcome in this case.”
Turley previously criticized Merchan for suggesting that former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg testify as prosecutors from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg sought to introduce Weisselberg’s severance package into evidence. Merchan made a $15 donation to Biden’s election campaign in 2020 and two $10 donations, one to a group dedicated to “resisting” the “right-wing legacy” of then-President Donald Trump and another to a “Progressive Turnout Project,” according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records.
Can you imagine the kids and grandkids of those jurors someday realizing what filth their family took part in??? .....SAD!
What scale?
Convict Trump of WHAT? So far, all that has been exposed is the crime committed against Trump, by Michael Cohen, who admitted from the stand his embezzlement of $30,000, or $60,000 or some such figure, because Trump “owed” it to him.
And what shall DA BRAGG do about this? Rhetorical question, nothing at all.
Face it. They’re going to convict him no matter what. It will, of course, be reversed on appeal but that will be after the election. Mission accomplished.
Wouldn’t you convict Hitler if you had the chance even if he wasn’t guilty of the charges?
These people have been brainwashed to think that Trump is literally Hitler.
A full week at home without supervision. Wonder how many will get offers they can not refuse.
The DA prosecutor has to convince 12 that the defendant is guilty.
The defendant’s lawyer only has to convince 1..................
And the phone call...I believe that was about McDougal...not Stormy.
And then there's the phone call 96 second phone call Schiller with the 14 year old.
It was during this phone call that Cohen told Trump about Stormy...and there was no conversation...just...later boss.
Well that 1 and their family will have a very hard life if their identity is revealed, and you know it will be.
And he will be convicted, count on it.
The judges jury instructions are gonna be despicable.
More than likely arrange it so Cohen AND Costellos’ testimony are to be disregarded.
Bottom line is the “judge” will secure a conviction.
Jury is being cooked like frog soup. They will pay a very high price for making the state look bad, so the state will not let that happen.
The judge is going to make sure that the only things the jury gets to consider are things not in Trump’s favor. Merchan is the judge and the jury. He’ll see to it.
My question for others here is if and when Trump is found guilty, will the RNC still allow him to be on the ballot, or will they try to find a replacement at the convention?
Only if they convict and Biden wins. History will remember these 12 as the 12 that sealed the ruination of America, they will live in infamy.
These people will then live in infamy, like Joseph Mengele.
He intended to commit another crime. We don’t know what crime or if he even did it but we are sure he intended to.
>The defendant’s lawyer only has to convince 1..................
Yeah, I’m thinking that Trump gets out scott-free. I think you might see not-guilty. There are a lot of liberals on the jury, but I’d say half of the ones with a few brain cells are going to convince the other ones with no brain cells that there’s nothing there.
“Alvin Bragg’s Team Is Pushing for Jurors to Use a Lower Standard of Proof in Order to Convict Trump No Matter What”
Judge Merchan instruction to jury: “If there’s even a 1% chance that Donald Trump MIGHT be guilty, you MUST convict!”
I almost want trump to be convicted. We all need to see just what a joke our “justice” system has become. We do not have a functioning system anymore and maybe its time to treat it as such.
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