NEW YORK — Closing arguments in Donald Trump’s historic secret trial are set to begin Tuesday morning, giving prosecutors and defense lawyers one last opportunity to convince the jury of their respective cases before deliberations begin.
Jurors will take on the unprecedented task of deciding whether to convict the former US president on criminal charges stemming from secret payments linked to an alleged scheme to buy and bury stories that could destroy Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
At the center of the allegations are refunds paid to Michael Cohen for a secret $130,000 payment that was paid to porn actress Stormy Daniels in exchange for not going public with her claim about a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.
Prosecutors say the payments to Cohen, then Trump’s lawyer, were falsely recorded as “legal expenses” to hide the true nature of the transactions.
Trump has denied all wrongdoing.
He pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records, charges punishable by up to four years in prison.
Final arguments are expected to last all day on Tuesday, with jury deliberations beginning as early as Wednesday.
The case is the first of Trump’s four charges to go to trial as he tries to reclaim the White House from Democrat Joe Biden.
The other cases center on charges of illegally accumulating confidential documents at his Palm Beach, Florida, estate and conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election. It is unclear whether either will face trial before the November election.
At the moment:
– Here’s what every key witness said in Donald Trump’s secret trial
– As Trump’s hush money trial draws to a close, would-be spectators camp out for days to get in
— Closing arguments, jury instructions, and perhaps a verdict? Important week is approaching
– Trump Hush Money Case: A Timeline of Key Events
– Key players: who’s who in Trump’s criminal trial
—Silence Money, Capture and Kill, and More: A Guide to Unique Terms Used in the Trump Trial
Here are the latest:
Prosecutors and defense attorneys will have the last opportunity to address the jury in closing arguments.
The arguments will not count as evidence in the case accusing Donald Trump of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments during the 2016 presidential election. Instead, they will function as hours-long recaps of the key points the lawyers want to leave to jurors beforehand. for the panel to disappear behind closed doors for deliberations.
Over the course of a month, jurors heard testimony about sex and accounting, tabloid journalism and presidential politics. His task will be to decide whether prosecutors who charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
With closing arguments in Donald Trump’s secret trial set to begin Tuesday morning, jurors have a heavy task ahead of them – deciding whether to convict the former US president on some, all or none of the 34 criminal charges he faces. is accused.
To convict Trump of the crime of falsifying business records, prosecutors must convince jurors beyond a reasonable doubt that he not only falsified or caused business records to be falsely entered, but also did so with the intent to commit or conceal another crime. Any verdict must be unanimous.
To avoid a conviction, the defense only needs to convince at least one juror that prosecutors did not prove Trump’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the standard for criminal cases.
New York also has a misdemeanor charge of falsifying business records, which requires only proof that the defendant made or caused the false entries, but is not part of Trump’s case and will not be considered by jurors.
For many Americans, Memorial Day weekend was a time to remember the sacrifices of U.S. military personnel and to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
For others, it was an opportunity to get a prime spot in line to enter Donald Trump’s secret trial before Tuesday’s closing arguments. Last Friday afternoon, several people camped out – including professional assistants with puppy tents – for a chance to see the end of the historic process up close and personal.
While most seats in the courtroom are reserved for lawyers, members of Trump’s entourage, security personnel and journalists, some are open to the general public.
The former president’s trial in Manhattan attracted visitors from around the world, including students from local schools and many people from out of town.
Closing arguments in Donald Trump’s silence trial are expected to begin on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the end of the historic process that began in April.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys will make their final presentation to jurors, hoping to sway them in one direction or another after more than four weeks of witness testimony.
After closing arguments, which are expected to last all day, conclude, Judge Juan M. Merchan will spend about an hour instructing the jury on the law governing the case, providing a roadmap on what they can and cannot take into account when evaluating . the guilt or innocence of the former Republican president.
Jurors could begin deliberations as early as Wednesday.
