Trump Declines to Testify in Groundbreaking Criminal Case
Donald Trump has opted not to testify in his landmark criminal trial. The former president’s defense team concluded their presentation on Tuesday, choosing to rely on closing arguments next week to represent his case.
Despite his decision to stay off the witness stand, Trump did not remain silent. “I think a great case was put on. There is no crime,” Trump declared to reporters outside the courtroom prior to the afternoon session.
Legal analysts highlight that defendants often avoid testifying to prevent intense interrogation by prosecutors and exposure to unfavorable past civil trial outcomes. Trump faces 34 felony charges for allegedly falsifying business records to hide a crime related to hush money payments to an adult film star before the 2016 election. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In their defense, Trump’s attorneys called only two witnesses, a stark contrast to the 20 witnesses presented by the prosecution. The jury was dismissed mid-morning by Justice Juan Merchan, who asked them to return for closing statements next Tuesday. A key hearing followed to decide on the jury’s instructions for deliberation, with both sides proposing how the law and evidence should be interpreted.
The legal arguments during this session were intricate, such as the debate over whether to describe Michael Cohen’s past actions as a “crime” or “crimes.” Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, was a critical witness for the prosecution. The BBC News team continues to provide updates and expert analysis from the Manhattan courtroom across their various platforms.
Trump’s lawyer, Emil Bove, successfully persuaded the judge to address potential jury bias due to Trump’s contentious public image. However, Bove’s request for the jury to be instructed to agree on the specific second crime Trump allegedly tried to conceal was denied. Prosecutors suggested three possible crimes but did not need to pinpoint a specific one, alleging a broad pattern of election fraud.
The judge remarked, “What you’re asking me to do is change the law, and I’m not going to do that,” denying Bove’s request. An amusing moment occurred when the judge chose to remove the term “eleemosynary” from the jury instructions, admitting his difficulty in pronouncing it, which elicited laughter in the courtroom.
These legal arguments will soon be pivotal as Justice Merchan issues detailed instructions to the jury. The 12 jurors will then retire to deliberate on the charges, determining Trump’s guilt or innocence on each of the 34 accusations.
