Trump’s Defense Concludes in Hush Money Trial, Calls Only Two Witnesses
In the hush money trial, Donald Trump’s legal team has concluded its defense after summoning just two witnesses and without calling the former president to testify. Legal experts, including criminal defense attorneys and former prosecutors, indicate that this strategy is not uncommon. The defense’s primary objective is to create reasonable doubt about their client’s guilt, rather than presenting a multitude of witnesses.
Sarah Krissoff, a white-collar defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, emphasized that the burden of proof lies with the prosecutors. Trump’s charges involve falsifying business records to conceal payments made in 2017 to his lawyer, Michael Cohen. Prosecutors argue that these payments were for Cohen’s efforts to suppress unfavorable stories during the 2016 presidential campaign, including allegations of a sexual encounter with porn actor Stormy Daniels.
Krissoff clarified that defense attorneys focus on challenging the credibility of the prosecution’s witnesses. The defense’s main witness, attorney Robert Costello, testified about his discussions with Cohen in 2018 following an FBI raid on Cohen’s home and office. Costello claimed that Cohen had told him Trump was unaware of the $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels.
Conversely, Cohen testified that Trump was aware of the scheme to pay Daniels. During cross-examination, Cohen admitted to stealing from Trump’s company and lying in congressional testimony. Despite pleading guilty in 2018 to charges including tax evasion and bank fraud, Cohen maintained his innocence regarding those crimes.
Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, did not take the stand, although he might have had pertinent information about the payments to Cohen. Weisselberg was recently sentenced to five months in jail for perjury related to his testimony in a civil fraud lawsuit filed against Trump by New York’s attorney general.
The trial’s closing arguments are scheduled for May 28.
