Prosecutors in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president rested their landmark case after presenting more than 200 pieces of evidence and hearing from 20 witnesses, including Michael Cohen, who concluded nearly four full days on the stand Monday.
The defense called its first two witnesses – neither of whom were Donald Trump – and set about undermining Cohen’s credibility. That responsibility largely fell on Robert Costello, Cohen’s former legal advisor, who was instead harshly reprimanded by Judge Merchan for allegedly violating his “courtroom decorum.”
Costello will return to the stand Tuesday morning.
Trump is on trial for allegedly falsifying business records to hide repayment of a secret payment that Cohen, his lawyer at the time, made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to improve Trump’s electoral prospects. Trump in the 2016 presidential election. The former president has denied any wrongdoing.
Here are five important takeaways from the 19th day of Trump’s hush money criminal trial.
The State ends its case
Over four weeks of testimony, prosecutors told a story of alleged sexual relationships, schemes and lies related to the 2016 election — presenting more than 200 pieces of evidence and calling 20 witnesses to the stand.
It was a landmark case – the first against a former president of the United States – and on Monday afternoon the prosecution rested.
In recent weeks, jurors have heard from Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress whose long-denied alleged affair with Trump underpinned the alleged illegal conduct; David Pecker, the tabloid executive who promised to “catch and kill” negative stories about Trump; and Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer who arranged and executed the payments.
Michael Cohen concludes his testimony
Michael Cohen spent nearly four full days on the witness stand, where he described in chapter and verse how Donald Trump allegedly falsified business records to conceal payments to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
Cohen executed the payments to Daniels, and his testimony provided jurors with crucial narrative tissue. But its credibility — or potential lack thereof — could impact how jurors interpret the merits of the state’s case.
On Monday, Cohen said he had “more than 20” conversations, in person or by phone, with Donald Trump in October 2016 about paying Stormy Daniels.
The State ended its case when he left the witness stand.
“Are you looking down on me?” »
Robert Costello, a former lawyer for Cohen, had spent less than 15 minutes on the witness stand when Judge Juan Merchan sustained a series of state objections. After one of these interjections, Costello was heard muttering under his breath: “Damn.”
This extracurricular thinking prompted Merchan to dismiss the jurors and severely reprimand Costello, ordering him to observe “proper decorum in my courtroom.”
“If you don’t like my decision, you don’t say ‘Damn,’ you don’t say ‘Back off,’ because I’m the only one who can strike out testimony in court,” Merchan said, visibly annoyed. . “If you don’t like my decision, don’t look at me sideways or roll your eyes.”
Michael Cohen testifies on the witness stand with Judge Juan Merchan presiding in Manhattan Criminal Court, May 20, 2024, in New York.
Elizabeth Williams/AP
The matter seemed settled. But seconds later, Merchan barked, “Are you looking down on me?”
With that, Merchan took the extraordinary step of removing the journalists from the courtroom. After a few minutes, the journalists and jurors returned and Merchan resumed proceedings without addressing the issue.
The defense moves for a distant dismissal
Before the day’s proceedings ended, defense attorney Todd Blanche launched a long-shot bid to have the case dismissed before it went to jurors – claiming in a lengthy argument that “There is no evidence from any of the witnesses who testified of any criminal intent.” “.
“How on earth is hiding a false story from voters criminal?” » asked Blanche, her voice rising slightly.
After Blanche accused Cohen of lying on the stand, Merchan joked, “You think he’s going to fool 12 New Yorkers into believing his lies?”
The judge said he would reserve his decision on the motion.
Trump probably won’t speak
Even if Donald Trump’s lawyers have not yet definitively ruled out his appearance on the witness stand, this possibility seems increasingly unlikely.
Blanche indicated early Monday that she would call two witnesses to the stand, without identifying them by name. By the end of the day, he had called two witnesses: a paralegal and Robert Costello.
Before the court concluded, Judge Merchan asked Trump’s lawyers if they planned to call additional witnesses.
“Not at this point, judge,” defense attorney Emil Bove said.
ABC News’ Josh Einiger and Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report.
ABC News
