Michael Cohen is asked about taking the oath as he is cross-examined by defense attorney Todd Blanche during the criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump, who is accused of falsifying business records to cover up money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016 in Manhattan. court in New York, United States, on May 16, 2024, in this courtroom sketch.
Jane Rosenberg | Reuters
A Donald Trump defense attorney yelled at prosecution witness Michael Cohen during cross-examination about a 2016 phone call at issue in the former president’s criminal trial.
Defense attorney Todd Blanche questioned Cohen about an Oct. 24, 2016, call he made to Trump in which Cohen said he convinced porn star Stormy Daniels to agree to avoid to go public with her claim that she had sex with Trump. Blanche asked if Cohen lied about the call.
Blanche confronted Cohen with text messages from the same day suggesting he called Keith Schiller, then the Trump Organization’s chief of security, that evening over concerns about harassment from text messages Cohen was receiving while Trump was running for president that year.
“I believe I also spoke to Mr. Trump about the Stormy Daniels case,” Cohen told Blanche in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Blanche then said: “We are not asking you what you believe. »
“The jury doesn’t want to hear what you think!” said Blanche.
Blanche’s dramatic display of emotion came after hours of much quieter and sometimes confusing cross-examination from Cohen, who for years served as Trump’s personal lawyer and go-between.
Cohen admitted to paying Daniels $130,000 before the November 2016 election to keep her quiet about an alleged tryst with Trump a decade earlier to prevent the story from hurting Trump’s chances in the polls. elections.
He said he did so at the direction of Trump, who is accused in the case of falsifying business records related to his and his company’s reimbursement to Cohen for Daniels’ payment.
Former US President Donald Trump listens to Michael Cohen as he is asked to take the oath while being cross-examined by defense attorney Todd Blanche during Trump’s criminal trial on charges of falsifying business records to hide money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. in Manhattan State Court in New York, USA, on May 16, 2024, in this courtroom sketch .
Jane Rosenberg | Reuters
Cohen is expected to be the final witness for prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
It’s unclear whether Trump’s lawyers will call their own witnesses.
Regardless, jurors could begin deliberating the case next week.
Trump, who denies having sex with Daniels, is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
This is developing news. Please check back for updates throughout the day.
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