NEW YORK — Closing arguments in Donald Trump’s historic hush-money trial are set to begin Tuesday morning, giving prosecutors and defense attorneys one last chance 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 of crimes stemming from hush money payments related to an alleged scheme to buy and bury stories that could help Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign destroy.
At the heart of the charges are reimbursements to Michael Cohen for a $130,000 hush money payment paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels in exchange for not disclosing her claim about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump.
Prosecutors say the payments to Cohen, Trump’s then-lawyer, were falsely recorded as “legal fees” to conceal the true nature of the transactions.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
He pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying company records, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison.
Closing arguments are expected to last all day Tuesday, with jury deliberations starting as early as Wednesday.
The case is the first of four charges against Trump to go to trial as he tries to reclaim the White House from Democrat Joe Biden.
The other cases involve allegations of illegally hoarding classified documents from his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election. It is unclear whether any of them will stand trial before the November elections.
Currently:
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— Closing arguments, jury instructions and perhaps a verdict? An important week is coming up
– Trump hush money case: A timeline of key events
– Key players: Who’s who in Trump’s hush-money criminal trial
– Quieting Money, Catching & Killing, and More: A Guide to Unique Terms Used at Trump’s Trial
Here’s the latest:
With closing arguments in Donald Trump’s hush money trial expected to start Tuesday morning, jurors have a tough task ahead of them: deciding whether to convict the former US president of some, all or none of the 34 crimes he is accused of .
To convict Trump of falsifying corporate records, prosecutors must convince jurors beyond a reasonable doubt that he not only falsified corporate records or caused the false entry of corporate records, but that he did so with the intent to commit another crime to commit or conceal. Any judgment must be unanimous.
To avoid a conviction, the defense simply has to convince at least one juror that prosecutors have not proven Trump’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the standard for criminal cases.
New York has also filed a charge of falsifying business records, which only requires proving that a defendant made or caused the false entry, but this 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 the U.S. military and take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
For others, it was a chance to get a prime spot in line to participate in Donald Trump’s hush money trial ahead of Tuesday’s closing arguments. Last Friday afternoon, several people – including professional line sitters with pup tents – camped out for a chance to see the end of the historic events 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 has drawn visitors from around the world, including students from local schools and many people from out of town.
Closing arguments in Donald Trump’s hush money trial are expected to begin Tuesday, marking the beginning of the end of the historic proceedings that began in April.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys will make their final speeches to jurors, hoping to sway them in one direction or another after more than four weeks of testimony.
Following the conclusion of closing arguments, which are expected to last all day, Judge Juan M. Merchan will spend approximately an hour instructing the jury on the law applicable to the case and providing a road map of where the jury can and cannot take into account in the assessment. the guilt or innocence of the Republican former president.
Jurors could begin their deliberations as early as Wednesday.
