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Have Trump prosecutors made their case at hush-money trial?
BBC ^ | May 19, 2024 | Madeline Halpert

Posted on 05/19/2024 6:56:38 PM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?

For nearly four weeks, Donald Trump has sat quietly in a New York courtroom while state prosecutors laid out the first-ever criminal case against a former president.

"The pieces are all there. But is it there beyond a reasonable doubt?" said former Brooklyn prosecutor Julie Rendelman. "I don't know."........

"It only takes one juror," she added.......

Other challenges remain for the prosecution.

In a relatively novel approach, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office elevated falsifying business records charges to a felony by claiming Mr Trump did so with the goal of concealing another crime.

To prove their case, prosecutors must show intent - that Mr Trump illegally classified records for the purpose of aiding his campaign.

Several witnesses seemed to corroborate this.

"He wasn't thinking at all about [his wife] Melania," Cohen told the court. "This was all about the campaign."

But prosecutors must make this connection clear to the jury.

"Essentially they have to connect these payments to a motive that links them to a campaign," said Ms Kiesel. "This requires a summation of a lifetime, because you really have to connect these dots."

Mr Fletcher said prosecutors succeeded in doing so, with witnesses arguing the hush-money payment and reimbursement was not made to protect Mr Trump's family.

"This was all about the election," Mr Fletcher said. "If I was going to bet, I would bet on a conviction. But I don't think it's a slam dunk."

In the end, the verdict could come down to jury selection, experts said.

The 12 members and six alternates were picked from hundreds who expressed a range of political views and familiarity with Mr Trump and this case.

"It only takes one person to decide that the people have not met their burden," she said. "The people have 12 [jurors] to convince."

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: julierendelman; madelinehalpert; nytrial; trump; trumpnytrial; trumptrial

1 posted on 05/19/2024 6:56:38 PM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

This trial is odd. I heard the judge wants closing arguments on Tuesday. The defense begins tomorrow. Don’t tell me trump’s judges aren’t calling witnesses. Are they hoping enough damage to prosecution will be enough for hung of acquittal? That’s rather risky. Trump deserves his defense as well.


2 posted on 05/19/2024 6:59:03 PM PDT by napscoordinator (DeSantis is a beast! Florida is the freest state in the country! )
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

The defense hasn’t even gotten the chance to mount a defense and he didn’t use campaign funds for an NDA. This isn’t even a crime. Like there is no crime then again it is England where they all sleep with their cousins.


3 posted on 05/19/2024 7:02:32 PM PDT by Lod881019
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To: napscoordinator

“Don’t tell me trump’s judges aren’t calling witnesses.“

Didn’t Trump’s lawyers want to call a witness on his behalf and the judge didn’t allow it?


4 posted on 05/19/2024 7:04:46 PM PDT by packagingguy
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To: packagingguy

Here say. We don’t know this for sure.


5 posted on 05/19/2024 7:06:09 PM PDT by napscoordinator (DeSantis is a beast! Florida is the freest state in the country! )
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

“...summation of a lifetime....”

Timeline?

Total Doofus territory here, butt Hay, it’s Manhattan.....


6 posted on 05/19/2024 7:07:16 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

“The pieces are all there.” Now that is just downright funny. However, the “pieces” of the puzzle do not fit for there to be an occurrence of a crime.


7 posted on 05/19/2024 7:07:35 PM PDT by Parley Baer
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

1) For a candidate to suppress negative stories is not a crime. Oops.
2) In America, convictions require “Beyond a reasonable doubt”. Here we have zero evidence of a crime, just allegations of a non-crime by “witnesses” with zero credibility and ulterior motives.
3) The “making a false document” counts have not even been proved. Booking money paid to an attorney for legal work as a “legal expense” is not false.
4) How could the electorate have known anything about Trump’s private book-keeping before Nov 5, 2020, even if payment in full had been made and been booked as “Payoff to silence whores” in October 2020 when the NDAs were completed? Trump had no motive to play games with “business records” no one would see before the election anyway.


8 posted on 05/19/2024 7:10:12 PM PDT by Chewbarkah
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

The only thing that matters is that Trump is running for President against a Democrat. Therefore, he can not be not guilty as that would not help Biden.


9 posted on 05/19/2024 7:17:46 PM PDT by Sir Bangaz Cracka (Poor 'lil Travon bees slamming dat white cracka'a head into dat sidewalk causin he be scared)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

What a clown show, and commenting from a bunch of English cucks who dance for their new Musloid overlords.


10 posted on 05/19/2024 7:23:52 PM PDT by kiryandil (FR Democrat Party operatives! Rally in defense of your Colombian cartel stooge Merchan!)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

BUT OUT LIMEYS!


11 posted on 05/19/2024 7:46:18 PM PDT by cowboyusa (YESHUA IS KING AMERICA, AND HE WILL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE HIM!)
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To: packagingguy
Didn’t Trump’s lawyers want to call a witness on his behalf and the judge didn’t allow it?

Because the witness is a former head of SEC and was going to testify that the prosecution's case is FOS. Should be a problem for Bragg on appeal, but the process is the punishment.

12 posted on 05/20/2024 2:51:46 AM PDT by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (Re-imagine the media!)
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To: Sir Bangaz Cracka
Simplify the double negative.

Therefore, he can not must be not guilty

13 posted on 05/20/2024 2:58:27 AM PDT by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (Re-imagine the media!)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Dunno, the prosection has not stated presented a crime.....


14 posted on 05/20/2024 4:46:21 AM PDT by Steven Tyler
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To: napscoordinator

The left-wing Biased Broadcasting Corporation is finally admitting that the prosecution’s case is weak, after ignoring this fact for months. Perhaps they will even acknowledge eventually that this may have been a politically motivated case, but I doubt it.


15 posted on 05/20/2024 4:51:38 AM PDT by phil00071
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Reality here is, it doesn’t matter if Trump’s lawyers have proven beyond any doubt there was no crime and the prosecution lied. What matters is where the case was tried and the bias of the jury.

If the jury hates Trump, what’s right is irrelevant.


16 posted on 05/20/2024 5:01:33 AM PDT by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
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To: phil00071

Let’s hope. I guess they pulled some picture of cohen and the dude from the phone call at the time of the phone call in the same room. We will see how this plays out.


17 posted on 05/20/2024 10:28:57 AM PDT by napscoordinator (DeSantis is a beast! Florida is the freest state in the country! )
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Asking the legal-minded FReepers some questions:

Does a conviction lead to death in prison for President Trump or will it be House Arrest? Will he have to campaign via home-broadcast from Manhattan? Could he broadcast from prison? I know...kind of ridiculous questions but I simply don’t know.

What if incarceration hampers his campaign into virtual “radio silence”?

What is the replacement process if he simply can’t effectively campaign? Or does the silencing of President Trump become a powerful campaignin in itself?

Pardon the vanity. This might be one of the most stressful nights politically I’ve experienced. My blood is boiling that we are where we are with this Witch Hunt. Even if thee was legal merit it’s being prosecuted unfairly. Direct election interference.

Latest poll from MI on RCP has 45 up 2 points and you know it’s higher...so it’s not all bad.

Thanks for listening.


18 posted on 05/28/2024 9:09:37 PM PDT by toddausauras (Trump 2024)
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