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Items tagged with: criminal
"Trump stared blankly ahead as the verdict was read. 'Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.'”
#Trump #crime #criminal #felon #guilty #ElectionInterference #LawandOrder #Republicans
/2
"ACCOUNTABILITY FOR TRUMP’S MISDEEDS is all the more important given that the U.S. Supreme Court, with its right-wing majority, is AWOL from its most basic tasks: seeking equal justice under law and winning public trust in a prudent and steady system of rules not subject to radical revision based on the whims of recent appointees."
~ Donald B. Ayer and Dennis Aftergut
#Trump #crime #criminal #felon #guilty #ElectionInterference #LawandOrder #SupremeCourt
/4
Donald Trump Is Now a Convicted Felon
Guilty verdict in hush-money coverup case is a triumph for the rule of law.Donald B. Ayer (The Bulwark)
"Today, twelve ordinary Americans did what Republican senators refused to do.
They protected the rule of law and held Trump accountable for his attempt to rig an election."
~ Heather Cox Richardson
#Trump #crime #criminal #felon #guilty #ElectionInterference #LawandOrder #Republicans
/1
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-30-2024
May 30, 2024
After slightly less than ten hours of deliberation, a jury today found former president Donald J. Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in order to unlawfully influence the 2016 election.Heather Cox Richardson (Letters from an American)
DA #AlvinBragg official press release on the #criminal #TrumpTrial #guilty #verdict:
https://manhattanda.org/d-a-bragg-announces-34-count-felony-trial-conviction-of-donald-j-trump/
#law #trump
Best line of the day goes to Manhattan DA #AlvinBragg:
“The defendant, Donald J. Trump, is guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree to conceal a scheme to corrupt the 2016 election.”
Asked by NYT’s legal reporter Jonah Bromwich how he feels having had so much criticism of many of his decisions related to the Trump investigation, & eventually in bringing the #Trump #criminal case, Alvin Bragg said:
“I did my job. Our job is to follow the facts without fear or favor, & that’s what we did here. I did my job, we did our jobs.” He says “there are many voices out there, but the only voice that matters is the voice of the jury, & the jury has spoken.”
#TrumpTrial #law #felon
#Trump will obviously #appeal.
Before that is heard, Trump will be dealing w/ the #criminal #justice system.
Trump’s #sentencing is July 11.
He could be sentenced prison or probation.
A pre-sentencing report makes recommendations based on the defendant’s criminal record — Trump had none before this case — as well as his personal history & the crime itself.
#law #TrumpTrial #verdict #guilty
#Trump stands up as the jurors exit, w/a frown on his face. He does not look at the jury as they leave, his eyes downcast.
Todd Blanche, Trump's lawyer, is arguing, w/ the jurors gone, that the verdict is impromper and should be tossed because it relied on Michael Cohen’s testimony.
The judge immediately denies the motion.
Sentencing is set for July 11 at 10 a.m.
Trump is now a #felon.
Justice #Merchan says the #jurors also asked for headphones to use w/the evidence laptop. This suggests they may want to listen to the secret recordings #MichaelCohen made, or excerpts from his podcasts, or some other piece of evidence that includes audio.
Yesterday, Merchan noted that the laptop jurors are using to view the evidence is not equipped w/ Wi-Fi, & he just did it again, on the record, & had both parties acknowledge that they’d heard him.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial
If the laptop had Wi-Fi, the #jurors would have access to info about the case during #deliberations that they aren’t supposed to.
By making the point about the Wi-Fi on the record, #Merchan has protected himself from either side making an issue out of it in an appeal (or in the media).
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial
The #jury is back in the courtroom. The court reporter is on the stand to read the four portions of testimony.
The judge asks the jury whether they want to hear the #testimony or #JuryInstructions first.
Justice Merchan is beginning w/ p6, which starts w/ directing jurors how to consider #evidence, & ending w/ p 35, where the judge explains how his instructions on the #law apply to the counts in the case.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial
As Justice #Merchan re-reads the #JuryInstructions, #Trump has had his eyes closed, & his chin has sometimes slumped to his chest. At other times, his head has been fallen backwards — just waiting for his mouth to drop open & let flies enter. #NodFarter
Merchan is now in the middle of p 17 of the instructions, explaining jurors can consider whether any #witness would benefit from his or her own #testimony. (hmm)
Justice #Merchan is now at the part of the #JuryInstructions where he’s describing “#AccessorialLiability,” the part that suggests the defendant doesn't need to have actively participated in the commission of the #crime to be found #guilty, as long as he in some way DIRECTED or INTENTIONALLY AIDED the #criminal conduct of someone else. In this case, that relates to the alleged falsification of business records.
#law #Trump #TrumpTrial
There were few #witnesses whose testimony was central to the #crimes charged. One was #MichaelCohen, whose #credibility was attacked by #Trump's lawyer Todd #Blanche.
Another witness —who had no connection to the falsification of business records— was #StormyDaniels, whose #HushMoney from Cohen is what was covered up. Susan Necheles, the defense lawyer w/the most trial experience on Trump's team, worked aggressively to sow doubts about Daniels’s story w/the jury.
#Merchan rereads the complex charges:
#Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a second crime, a conspiracy to aid an election by #UnlawfulMeans (click hashtag for more on the legal term).
The options for those unlawful means include several other crimes.
Each individual #criminal charge contains within it several other crimes.
Justice #Merchan is done, & now the court reporter will read the #testimony. 2 court reporters will read. The first explains that she is the “lawyer” & that her colleague, on the witness stand is “David Pecker.” They start w/ testimony pertaining to a phone call that #Pecker & #Trump had in June 2016, acc/to Pecker’s testimony.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
This #testimony is good for the prosecution.
David #Pecker testified that #Trump acknowledged speaking to #MichaelCohen about the issue & acknowledged knowing #KarenMcDougal, one of the women who was eventually paid to keep quiet during the 2016 campaign about her story of having had an affair w/ Trump.
“Karen is a nice girl,” Trump said on this call, according to Pecker’s testimony.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
#Pecker testified that he recommended that #Trump buy #KarenMcDougal’s story. The portion of #testimony ends before the #jury hears what comes next. Pecker testified that #MichaelCohen called him back & told him to buy McDougal’s story on Trump's behalf.
Jurors heard the portion of Pecker's testimony when he said he believed the story of Trump having had an affair w/McDougal was true, & would be embarrassing to Trump.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
Next the court reporters read the second part of David #Pecker’s #testimony that the #jurors asked to hear, where he explains that he decided he did not want to be repaid for #KarenMcDougal’s story after purchasing it. The implication was that he was concerned about the #legal consequences of accepting a reimbursement - he testified that the concern was regarding FEC violations.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
#Pecker’s #testimony here is key to prosecution's case. Jurors also asked to hear MichaelCohen’s testimony about the #TrumpTowerMeeting. They will hear that next.
One of the major arguments the defense made during closings also pertained to this meeting, & concerned the idea that the phrase #CatchAndKill was not used during it.
(It’s not used in the charges either. It’s just a characterization not a legal term.)
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
The #jurors just again heard #Pecker’s #testimony that the reason he was purchasing negative stories on #Trump’s behalf was to benefit his presidential campaign.
Defense atty Emil #Bove cross-examined Pecker, & jurors are hearing part of that cross now. Bove elicited testimony that Pecker misremembered the exact date of the Aug 2015 meeting, & more generally that Pecker was testifying about events from a long time ago.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
Testimony readbacks can highlight moments that were seemingly rushed by during trial.
Here, we see that it was very important for the defense for #Bove to call #Pecker’s memory about this meeting into question.
Also the importance of objections becomes very apparent. Any objection that was sustained by the judge — & several were in this cross of Pecker — is not read aloud as the jury considers a potential verdict.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial
#Pecker testified on cross-examination that the phrase “#CatchAndKill” was not used at the Aug 2015 #TrumpTowerMeeting — & that there was no financial agreement made in concert w/the plan for him to supress negative stories about #Trump AT THAT MEETING.
The defense has argued that both of those data points should cast doubt on the prosecution’s theory.
The end of the cross-examination of #Pecker was less good for the defense. It was just read aloud again. “There was a discussion about that I was going to be the eyes and ears of the campaign,” Pecker testified. “And there was a discussion that I would be notifying Michael Cohen of any women that were in the process of or going to be selling stories.”
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
Court reporters now read the 4th & final portion of #testimony that jurors asked to hear: #MichaelCohen’s recounting of that same #TrumpTowerMeeting.
Cohen’s testimony matches Pecker’s account closely. #Pecker testified that he had said he would be #Trump’s “eyes & ears” & watch out for negative stories. Cohen recalls him saying he would “keep an eye out for anything negative.”
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
The #testimony readbacks are complete, & #jurors are excused to continue their #deliberations. They have asked to use both headphones & speakers to listen to #evidence that includes an audio portion.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
#Trump leaves for his waiting room (an empty courtroom w/security), w/his entourage.
Trump, in the hallway outside the courtroom, falsely blames the #GagOrder as he refuses to answer reporters, telling them “I’d like to answer all of your questions, they’re very easy to answer.”
The questions shouted at him — including whether he worried about potential prison time — have nothing to do w/issues covered by the order.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #Gaslighting #propaganda #StochasticTerrorism
Why #jurors in the NY #criminal #TrumpTrial can’t have a copy of the #JuryInstructions:
The prohibition against jurors being provided a copy of written #legal instructions comes from a 1987 decision by the #NewYork Court of Appeals in #PeopleVOwens.
The court found that “the distribution of written instructions to the jury is not expressly authorized by #law, & error in such submissions cannot be deemed harmless,” meaning: providing instructions would result in a #conviction being #overturned.
Marc F. Scholl, who served in the Manhattan DA’s office for nearly 4 decades, specializing in white-collar crimes & appeals, said: “Recently, there has been some slight loosening about whether it can be done w/ the defense’s consent, but it remains a minefield that judges do not want to risk.”
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #Deliberations #JuryInstructions #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
There’s a #verdict
They request 30 minutes to fill out the forms.
Trump, who had been smiling a minute ago, is suddenly serious after the judge’s alert that there’s a verdict.
His arms are now crossed across his chest as he whispers with his lawyers.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter
The #verdict must be unanimous on the primary crime falsification of business records.
Once #jurors inform the court they have reached a verdict, Justice Juan #Merchan will summon the parties to the courtroom to hear it read by the foreperson.
Merchan must still affirm the verdict & enter a final judgment.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #GagOrder #StochasticTerrorism #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal #NodFarter
All 12 jurors must agree to find #Trump #guilty in order to #convict him of any one of the #felonies w/which he has been charged: 34 counts of falsifying business records. The judge in the case, Juan M. #Merchan, repeatedly made this clear, saying in his instructions to the #jury: “Each count you consider, whether guilty or not guilty, must be #unanimous.”
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/30/nyregion/trump-trial-unanimous-verdict-misinformation.html?smid=url-share
#TrumpTrial Thurs 30 May 2024 🧵#Deliberations continue
Justice #Merchan says he believes that the #jury wants him to repeat a significant portion of the #JuryInstructions.
He will read pages 6-35.
Each page yesterday took him just a little more than a minute, so this will take >30 mins.
Between that & the testimony readbacks, also expected to take >30 mins, there will likely be >1 hour this morning w/the jury in the courtroom, not actively deliberating.
#Trump has posted >20X on Truth Social since he left the courtroom. Each post quotes [right wing, Trump sycophant] *commentators* or *legal scholars* making a statement that supports him or criticizes the case.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
#Trump entered court, today he is accompanied by his son Donald Trump Jr., his *friend* Steve Witkoff, his aides Natalie Harp & Karoline Leavitt, & his indicted *legal* adviser Boris Epshteyn. Eric Trump is not here today. Trump's aides Jason Miller & Steven Cheung are at the back of the room.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
In #NewYork, falsifying records is a #misdemeanor, unless the documents were faked to HIDE ANOTHER CRIME. The other crime, prosecutors say (they also presented evidence of other #crimes), was Trump’s 2016 violation of state #ElectionLaw that prohibited #conspiring to aid a #political campaign using “#UnlawfulMeans.”
Because the #UnlawfulMeans could be any or all of the other crimes, each individual false-records charge that #Trump faces contains w/in it multiple possible crimes for jurors to adjudicate, & #law for Justice Merchan to explain.
Justice #Merchan reminds the #jurors they need to “set aside” personal opinions or bias against #Trump.
He reads standard #legal language on #fairness, one phrase: “As a juror, you are asked to make a very important decision about another member of the community.”
An unintentional reminder that this is #CitizenTrump — just “another member of the community.”
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #StochasticTerrorism
#Merchan says that #jurors can draw inferences while evaluating the #evidence during deliberations. To explain the concept of an inference, he uses the example of a wet, rainy sidewalk in the morning. While one may not have seen it rain, Merchan says, one can infer that there was a storm or shower at some point overnight.
#Trump #criminal #law #TrumpTrial
