NY - Ex-President Donald Trump, charged with 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records, Apr 2023, Trial 25 Mar 2024 #2

[Smelly Squirrel]

Jury of peers just means citizens from the area of the court, there's no demographic requirement otherwise.

 

[Niner]

Monday, April 22nd:
*Trial set to begin (@ 9am ET & will end at 2pm ET) – NY - *Donald John Trump (76/now 77) was indicted (3/30/23), formally arrested, charged & arraigned (4/4/23) with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the 1st degree & conspiracy in connection with hush money payments to two women [Stephanie Clifford aka adult actor Stormy Daniels & former Playboy model Karen McDougal] before the 2016 presidential election. Plead not guilty. Warrant vacated, released on own recognizance. New York County
New York: Submitting false invoices or checks. All 34 counts against Trump are felony charges (class E) instead of misdemeanors.
Trial began on 4/15/24 with jury selection & ended on 4/19/24. Trial expected to run 4 days a week. Jury Selection Day 1 (4/15/24): 6. Day 2 (4/16/24): 1. Day 3 (4/18/24): 2 jurors removed. 7 selected & 1 alternate. Day 4 (4/19/24): Jurors selected: 12 jurors & 6 alternates. [Jurors: 7 men & 5 women/6 Alternates: 5 women & 1 man].
Trial set to begin on 4/22/24. Trial is expected to run 4 days a week [Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays].
New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Marchan presiding. Manhattan Attorney General Alvin Bragg. Prosecutors are Susan Hoffinger, Joshua Steinglass & Matthew Colangelo. Defense attorneys Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, Susan Necheles & Gedalia Stern.
Trump is required to attend each day in person — although the judge could grant permission for special absences. Trump has vowed to attend court during the day & travel to campaign events at night— a schedule he also kept up during the defamation trial ahead of the New Hampshire primary, though his current campaign schedule is about one or two events a week.
Investigation & court info from 3/30/23 thru 4/12/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-3 (4/15-4/17/24) reference post #726 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...s-apr-2023-trial-25-mar-2024-2.673176/page-37
4/19/24 Friday, Jury Selection Day 4: Twenty-two possible jurors left over from yesterday were brought in as jury selection resumed. Lawyers on each side have many challenges to spend now that we are in the alternate phase: 12 each, in fact. By noon (ET) the 4th alternate had been chosen. After day of jury selection, the court has finally chosen all 12 jurors & 6 alternate jurors. The 6 alternate jurors were sworn in. With the jury bench now full, the trial is expected to move towards opening statements next week.
For more info see post #731 (articles) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...s-apr-2023-trial-25-mar-2024-2.673176/page-37
Trial set to begin with opening statements on Monday, 4/22/24. Judge Merchan has decided to end court at 2pm Monday & Tuesday to allow Jewish participants to get to Passover services.
*Sandoval hearing on Friday, 4/19/24. Started @ 3:15pm ET. Judge Merchan is expected to hold what’s known as a Sandoval hearing, a type of hearing designed to let defendants know the scope of questions they could face from prosecutors on cross-examination so they can make informed decisions about whether to take the witness stand in their own defense.
In this case, the main issues prosecutors want to bring up if Trump decides to testify are previous court cases that undercut his credibility. They include:
• Two recent court findings that Trump defamed E Jean Carroll, who accused him of raping her.
• A recent court finding that Trump illegally inflated his business assets to get better loan terms, which led to a nearly half-billion-dollar penalty in a recent civil business fraud trial.
• Trump’s lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, which was dismissed in 2022 as “frivolous” & “bad faith” by the judge.
• A 2016 campaign fundraiser held by the Donald J Trump Foundation that violated campaign finance law, forcing him to pay $2m for breach of fiduciary duty.
Trump attorney Emil Bove argued that to bring in the Carroll verdicts would push “the salaciousness onto another level” for the case. But prosecutors called it “critical, critical” evidence. Judge Merchan said he would announce what he’ll permit on Monday.
*Judge Merchan has outlined the next steps for prosecutors’ request to have Trump held in contempt over several social media posts (7 more) bout witnesses in the trial. The judge said he would have a Show for Cause hearing on the issue of contempt sanctions on Tuesday, 4/23/24 @ 9:30am & will end at 2pm. Trump’s attorneys have a 19 April deadline to submit a written response. Trump was served with this Order in court.

 

[Niner]

I will use this article as reference IF they keep a running account on what is happening in the court room. If not - than I will try & find another one. Or if anyone reading here has a good site!

Trump hush money trial: Opening statements begin Monday

Opening statements are set for Monday after a full jury of 12 people and six alternates were seated in Donald Trump's hush money case in New York City, the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president.

abc7ny.com

 

[Niner]

Oops - to late to edit - but I believe trial starts at 9:30pm - not 9am as I have it above & will only run to 2pm for Jewish holiday & tomorrow as well.

 

[SouthAussie]

"If there’s enough time in the day (court may wrap around 2pm today because of Passover), the trial could see its first witness.

This is expected to be David Pecker, the CEO of American Media Inc (AMI), which publishes the National Enquirer.
Pecker will be asked about his alleged deals with Trump to “catch and kill” negative stories by buying them from people and then not publishing them, in order to save Trump the bad publicity before the 2016 election.

In a twist, AMI actually decided not to pay Stormy Daniels for her story, baulking at her $120,000 asking price. That’s why it was left to Trump’s fixer Cohen to make the payments ($130,000 in the end) directly to her attorney."

Donald Trump arrives at New York court as hush money trial is set to hear opening statements – live

Former president accused of falsifying business records to cover up an attempt to influence 2016 election

www.theguardian.com

 

[mickey2942]

Now, my husband, who loves Trump, says that no one else would have been charged. I asked him, about the law, it doesn't matter if no one else would have been charged, the issue is, did he do it, to deliberately break the law....at which point, he says, "everyone breaks the law". LOL.

So, if even my delusional spouse agrees Trump probably did it...I am trying to see the defense here...jury nullification?

Live updates: Trump hush money trial opening statements

Opening statements are expected to begin Monday in Donald Trump's New York hush money criminal trial. Follow here for the latest live news updates, analysis and more.

www.cnn.com

 

[Niner]

Actually - i like this site for updates - will use this one instead!

Donald Trump arrives at New York court as hush money trial is set to hear opening statements – live

Former president accused of falsifying business records to cover up an attempt to influence 2016 election

www.theguardian.com

 

[DS2021]

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[TootsieFootsie]

Actually - i like this site for updates - will use this one instead!

Yes The Guardian is usally very good at live updates.

 

[legalmomma]

Looks like NBC is providing more updates than Guardian: No Trump family members in courtroom

Trump trial highlights: DA alleges Trump led 'cook the books' scheme to hide 'porn star payoff'

Opening statements are set to begin today in former President Donald Trump's historical New York criminal trial.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[legalmomma]

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Now, Judge Merchan announces his ruling from the bench on the People's Sandoval Notice:If Trump takes the stand the people can inquire about the following six determinations, in four separate proceedings:-Feb 16, 2024 he violated the law by fraudulently misstating the value of his assets-Oct 28, 2022 he failed to remove an untrue personally identifying post about law clerk and was fined $5000-Oct 21, 2023 he intentionally violated court order by continually attacking court clerk & fine was $10,000-Carroll v Trump the defendant defamed E. Jean Carroll by making false statements-Carroll v Trump II the defendant made false statements about Carroll with actual malice-NYAG v Trump Donald J Trump Foundation engaged in repeated and willful self dealing transactions

 

[legalmomma]

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Just before the Sandoval rulings:Merchan affirmed his earlier ruling allowing prosecutors to show jurors a transcript of the "Access Hollywood" tape. Trump's lawyers fought to leave that out, after succeeding in preventing the admission of the actual footage.

 

[Leilei]

Sandoval rulings:
Rulings:
Access Hollywood transcript, stays IN

Sandoval rulings (apply if Trump testifies):
NY Civil Fraud - IN
NY Civil gag order breach - IN
Carroll I and Carroll II defamation - IN (sexual assault OUT)
Trump Foundation dissolution - IN

I'm following Adam Klasfeld on X for updates.

 

[Niner]

Looks like NBC is providing more updates than Guardian: No Trump family members in courtroom

Trump trial highlights: DA alleges Trump led 'cook the books' scheme to hide 'porn star payoff'

Opening statements are set to begin today in former President Donald Trump's historical New York criminal trial.

www.nbcnews.com

Thanks - I will add that to my reference notes.

 

[legalmomma]

Have we heard about this??

Trump trial highlights: DA alleges Trump led 'cook the books' scheme to hide 'porn star payoff'

Opening statements are set to begin today in former President Donald Trump's historical New York criminal trial.

www.nbcnews.com

Colangelo promised that jurors will hear the defendant's "own voice on a tape" in the alleged scheme to silence women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Trump is 'presumed to be innocent,' judge tells jury

abcnews.go.com

The judge also announced that court will break at 12:30 p.m. ET today, after a juror had a toothache and got an emergency appointment this afternoon.

Court had already been scheduled to end early today, at 2 p.m. ET, due to the Passover holiday

Issue with Juror No. 9 is resolved​

Judge Juan Merchan announced there is an issue with Juror No. 9 -- who, according to Merchan, "was concerned about media attention" of the case. According to Merchan, the juror "wasn't 100% sure" they could serve.

Merchan said they would speak to the juror in chambers to "find out what the issue is and see if this juror can continue to serve."

After a brief sidebar, the judge announced: “Juror No. 9 is going to remain with us.”

 

[legalmomma]

Trump trial highlights: DA alleges Trump led 'cook the books' scheme to hide 'porn star payoff'

Opening statements are set to begin today in former President Donald Trump's historical New York criminal trial.

www.nbcnews.com

Colangelo is trying to make the case about why the jury should get from hush money payment to document fraud.

Trump Org. couldn't write a check with "Reimbursement for star payoff" on the memo line, Colangelo says.

"So they agreed to cook the books” and make it look like the repayment was actually income," he said.
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said that another woman, adult actress Stormy Daniels, came forward before the election with an encounter she had with Trump while he was married.

He said that Cohen learned about the allegations and discussed it with Trump, who didn't want the story to come out, saying that it would be devastating to the campaign.

Colangelo said that Cohen came up with a deal to buy her story with a non-disclosure agreement and she agreed not to disclose her story for $130,000. Trump wanted to delay payment for as long as possible but ultimately he agreed to the payoff.

They eventually agreed that Cohen would create shell company to transfer the money and Cohen confirmed that Trump would reimburse him, the prosecutor said. Colangelo said that on Oct. 27, 2016, Cohen wired $130,000 to Daniels' lawyers.

 

[legalmomma]

So hopefully Stormy waived her atty priv and her attys will be testifying to the hush money deal

 

[legalmomma]

Hes NOT like ME

-----------------------------

Trump hush-money trial: prosecutor says ‘criminal conspiracy’ the focus of case in opening statement – live now it’s the defense’s turn.

Defense attorney Todd Blanche is telling jurors:

President Trump is innocent. President Trump did not commit any crimes. The Manhattan District Attorney should never have brought this case.

Blanche is trying hard to humanize Trump, while also repeatedly calling him “President Trump”. It’s an odd balance to strike – trying to portray him as a normal guy, but also the former commander-in-chief.

President Trump, you’ve seen him, of course, for years and years and years … He’s, in some ways, larger than life. But he’s also here in this courtroom doing what any of us would do – defending himself.

As for why they’re using ‘President’ for a man who’s no longer in the White House?

This is a title that he has earned, because he was our 45th president. We will call him President Trump, out of respect for the office that he held from 2017 to 2021.

Blanche, shortly thereafter, said “he’s also a man, he’s a husband, he’s a father, he’s a person who’s just like you and just like me.”

 

[legalmomma]

David Pecker has been called to the stand

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-hush-money-trial-live-updates-opening-statements-rcna148737David Pecker, a Trump ally who is expected to testify during the trial, was the CEO of the National Enquirer’s parent company, American Media Inc. (AMI). He played a key role in the alleged scheme behind the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels in an effort to cover up the affair she claims she had with Trump before the 2016 election (Trump has repeatedly denied her allegations).

Pecker, a longtime friend of Trump, helped cover up potentially damaging stories about him. Prosecutors said Pecker and Michael Cohen had met with Trump at the Trump Tower in 2015 to discuss how Pecker could help suppress negative stories about Trump’s relationships with women. They allegedly discussed an instance involving Daniels, who was paid $130,000 by Cohen to not speak to media outlets about her alleged affair with Trump.

Pecker in 2018 was granted immunity by federal prosecutors in their investigation into Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection to hush money payments issued to women he said he made under Trump’s direction, after he spoke with prosecutors about Cohen’s payment to Daniels.

AMI in 2018 had admitted to paying $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal to silence her over an alleged affair she had with Trump before the 2016 election. Trump has denied having an affair with McDougal.