Posted on 05/07/2024 11:47:36 AM PDT by thegagline
Porn star Stormy Daniels is on the stand at former President Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial in New York today — a pivotal moment in the case.
Daniels is describing their alleged sexual encounter, at times in so much detail that Judge Juan Merchan scolded the prosecution, saying the nitty gritty was “unnecessary.” *** “In fairness to the people, I think the witness was a little bit difficult to control the witness," Justice Merchan said***
Trump attorney Todd Blanche moved Tuesday for a mistrial, citing what he called Stormy Daniels' "prejudicial" and salacious testimony about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.
Daniels mentioned some details about her alleged tryst with Trump — like that there was an "imbalance of power" between her and the real estate mogul — that could unfairly "inflame the jury," Blanche argued.
“It’s extremely prejudicial to insert safety concerns in a trial about business records," he told the court.
“The issue is she has testified today about consent, about danger – that’s not the point of this case. That’s not the point of her testimony," he added.
***
Blanche also accused Daniels of changing her story about the encounter over the years.
Judge Merchan declined to grant the mistrial, but said he agreed with Blanche "that there are some things that would have been better left unsaid."
In fairness to the prosecutors, though, he added, "I believe that the witness was very difficult to control."
Donald Trump appeared to write a note on a legal pad as the judge tossed his attorneys' move for a mistrial.
He then passed the legal pad in the direction of Todd Blanche, his attorney.
“I was surprised there were not more objections to this testimony," Justice Juan Merchan says, after Trump attorney Todd Blanche moved for a mistrial.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
As this case is ostensibly about business record entries. I believe that Daniels was primarily called as a witness to dirty up the defendant.
I would always ask for a sidebar and a proffer prior to this type of adverse testifying. After opposing counsel makes his proffer, I’d ask the court to place strict and guardrails on the testimony. At the moment the witness oversteps the strict parameters, I’d object and at sidebar move for a mistrial.
From the story, it appears that defense counsel may have sat on their hands. Ugh!
From the story, it appears that defense counsel may have sat on their hands. Ugh!
I doubt your hypothesis. I suspect that the Judge went ahead because he is prejudicial. Specifically, Stormy
Daniels and her lawyers have already signed affidavits that she didn’t have sex with Trump. Sincerely, the Judge should have probably intervened in this trial the minute the prosecution could provide no hard evidence of a crime, and no evidence that Trump was directly involved in the decisions.
I have no faith in the NY justice system, and would never invest in anything in NY again.
Big fear that Trump doesn’t have access to solid counsel since it is known that defending Trump leads to harassment, disbarment and jail.
Jonathan Turley just eviscerated the judge for allowing the testimony. The Defense DID attempt to object to her testimony but was over ruled. The judge claiming he was concerned for lack of objections when the defense objected to her even being there.
Part of her ad campaign, no doubt…
All of this is just being used to embarrass Donald Trump..I dont believe for ONE second that she had sex with Trump..I do believe she had an affair, with Michael Cohen, for a long time starting in 2006 that is what I believe..Trump is the victim here, of extortion. If Daniels wanted to she could have gone to the press at any time with her story but instead she went to the Trump Organization asking for money that is what happened here, she should be the one in prison
1) Seems like Trump’s lawyer got a woman to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (thousands of these are signed every day).
2) That magically became a felony violation of federal election law (Not really clear how).
3) Now it’s basically a rape trial, because Trump is more powerful than her.
Yeah, people assume he can get the very best because he’s got so much money, but it may not be so.
I thought about her 5 denials....nicely spaced...I think it’s called “Advertising”. I’d like to see her income for the next 6 months after her denial.
Since he wasn’t her employer or landlord, and she presumably was making a living already, what was the power imbalance?
My heart aches for Melania, Baron and all his family. 🙏
My heart aches for Melania, Baron and all his family. 🙏
All of this is just being used to embarrass Donald Trump..I dont believe for ONE second that she had sex with Trump.
This is 100% PIAPS behind the scenes getting back at Trump for cancelling her 2016 coronation.
I would also bet it’s Bubba coming up with the background salacious garbage....he was probably the source of the pee bed thing in the Steele Dossier as it was probably a real-life account from his own past.
These two cretins have been a pox on the United States for 30 years.
Trump did not even touch her. H3 is a germaohobe, and she is germ filled.
Yeah sure. The most famous germaphobe on the planet had sex with that human toilet. Just like he had Russian hookers pee on the bed he was sleeping in.
I think his counsel has been doing a lot of that.
On cross the defense has brought out information that she has publicly said she would dance in the street if he was “selected” for jail.
Sensible attorneys would have done what you described. Trump’s Defense seems more interested in creating grounds for appeal than getting a not-guilty verdict.
Now the jury is going to rationize that Trump deserves punishment for preying on a poor little professional sex worker. I want the cross examination to include this:
With how men and women have you have engaged in sexual relations during your lifetime —an order of magnitude will do? Hundreds? Thousands? Have you ever lied under oath or signed a false statement? Do you recognize this statement in which you state that you never had an “affair” (meaning a sexual encounter) with Trump? Is it correct that in previous statements on video, you said you signed this letter. Why did you sign it? Your testimony today directly contradicts your signed statement. Which time are you lying? Did you testify five minutes ago that you have never signed a false statement? How could anyone believe anything you say?
Then ask the judge to strike her testimony from the record and instruct the jury to remove it from their minds.
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