*** Official Trump Hush Money Trial Thread *** - Page 6

Ellis Wyatt

3:20p, 4/15/24

aggiehawg said:
Quote:
A potential juror said he has a child getting married on June 8. Judge Juan Merhcan noted that it's right on the edge. He said the trial should be done by then, but he doesn't know for sure.

The potential juror said the wedding will be held in Seattle.

The judge excused the juror to "be on the safe side."
June 8 is on the edge? How long is this trial going to take?

And I heard earlier that Merchan is requiring Trump to be present in the court room every single day of the trial.

aggiehawg

3:23p, 4/15/24

In reply to Ellis Wyatt

Quote:
And I heard earlier that Merchan is requiring Trump to be present in the court room every single day of the trial.

Including Trump possibly missing Barron's HS graduation.

aggiehawg

3:27p, 4/15/24

Quote:
Both the prosecution and defense secured wins during the first day of former President Donald Trump's historic trial.

Here are the wins, according to CNN's chief legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid.
Wins for the prosecution:
Judge Merchan refused to recuse himself from the case
Karen McDougal, an actress and model who alleged she also had an affair with Trump, can testify
National Enquirer stories slamming Trump's opponents can be used as evidence
Wins for the defense:
The "Access Hollywood" tape can't be played
Sexual assault accusations involving Trump can't be used
E. Jean Carroll's defamation deposition against Trump can't be used

Quote:
Before jurors were brought back into the courtroom following a short afternoon break, Judge Juan Merchan gently admonished the defense team for returning late, according to pool reports.
"Counsel, it's important that we keep the breaks to the allotted time, so we can keep moving," Merchan said.
Merchan said court will break for the day around 4:30 p.m. ET.

HTownAg98

3:28p, 4/15/24

In reply to aggiehawg

aggiehawg said:
Quote:
And I heard earlier that Merchan is requiring Trump to be present in the court room every single day of the trial.
Including Trump possibly missing Barron's HS graduation.

He hasn't ruled on that yet.

aggiehawg

3:29p, 4/15/24

In reply to HTownAg98

HTownAg98 said:
aggiehawg said:
Quote:
And I heard earlier that Merchan is requiring Trump to be present in the court room every single day of the trial.
Including Trump possibly missing Barron's HS graduation.
He hasn't ruled on that yet.

What do you think the word "possibly" means?

GeorgiAg

3:31p, 4/15/24

In reply to aggiehawg

aggiehawg said:
Quote:
A potential juror said he has a child getting married on June 8. Judge Juan Merhcan noted that it's right on the edge. He said the trial should be done by then, but he doesn't know for sure.

The potential juror said the wedding will be held in Seattle.

The judge excused the juror to "be on the safe side."
June 8 is on the edge? How long is this trial going to take?

Trump is going to go nuts sitting in court that long. Hell, I'd go nuts, but he is going to lose his mind.

Ellis Wyatt

3:36p, 4/15/24

In reply to HTownAg98

HTownAg98 said:
aggiehawg said:
Quote:
And I heard earlier that Merchan is requiring Trump to be present in the court room every single day of the trial.
Including Trump possibly missing Barron's HS graduation.
He hasn't ruled on that yet.

How magnanimous of him.

Ellis Wyatt

3:37p, 4/15/24

In reply to GeorgiAg

GeorgiAg said:
aggiehawg said:
Quote:
A potential juror said he has a child getting married on June 8. Judge Juan Merhcan noted that it's right on the edge. He said the trial should be done by then, but he doesn't know for sure.

The potential juror said the wedding will be held in Seattle.

The judge excused the juror to "be on the safe side."
June 8 is on the edge? How long is this trial going to take?
Trump is going to go nuts sitting in court that long. Hell, I'd go nuts, but he is going to lose his mind.

Especially since he's fully aware that this is all only to smear him and keep him off the campaign trail.

aggiehawg

3:38p, 4/15/24

Quote:
Judge Juan Merchan adjourned court for the day after nine potential jurors had gone through the questionnaire.

He said he wants to start at 9:30 a.m. ET sharp tomorrow morning and encouraged everyone to be on time.

Quote:
Judge Juan Merchan again read the jury instructions, and told potential jurors that he will will read it numerous times throughout the process.

He told the potential jurors not to converse among themselves or others anything related to the case.

GeorgiAg

3:39p, 4/15/24

In reply to Ellis Wyatt

Ellis Wyatt said:
GeorgiAg said:
aggiehawg said:
Quote:
A potential juror said he has a child getting married on June 8. Judge Juan Merhcan noted that it's right on the edge. He said the trial should be done by then, but he doesn't know for sure.

The potential juror said the wedding will be held in Seattle.

The judge excused the juror to "be on the safe side."
June 8 is on the edge? How long is this trial going to take?
Trump is going to go nuts sitting in court that long. Hell, I'd go nuts, but he is going to lose his mind.
Especially since he's fully aware that this is all only to smear him and keep him off the campaign trail.

I don't know why this took so long to start. Now it's smack dab in the middle of election season. The optics definitely don't look good and this sets a terrible precedent

GeorgiAg

3:40p, 4/15/24

NEW: We’re done with day 1 of Trump’s first criminal trial, and while we’ve got a ways to go, the prospective jurors include a “bookseller,” an oncology nurse, an assistant Bronx County DA, and a woman from Fanduel, the sports betting site.
— Lisa Rubin (@lawofruby) April 15, 2024

will25u

3:45p, 4/15/24

That Bronx da is getting a defense strike

aggiehawg

3:47p, 4/15/24

In reply to will25u

will25u said:
That Bronx da is getting a defense strike

Depends on what the jury consultant digs up but yeah that is the more likely scenario.

Rockdoc

3:49p, 4/15/24

In reply to GeorgiAg

GeorgiAg said:
Ellis Wyatt said:
GeorgiAg said:
aggiehawg said:
Quote:
A potential juror said he has a child getting married on June 8. Judge Juan Merhcan noted that it's right on the edge. He said the trial should be done by then, but he doesn't know for sure.

The potential juror said the wedding will be held in Seattle.

The judge excused the juror to "be on the safe side."
June 8 is on the edge? How long is this trial going to take?
Trump is going to go nuts sitting in court that long. Hell, I'd go nuts, but he is going to lose his mind.
Especially since he's fully aware that this is all only to smear him and keep him off the campaign trail.
I don't know why this took so long to start. Now it's smack dab in the middle of election season. The optics definitely don't look good and this sets a terrible precedent

Really? I thought this was Trumps masterplan.

Ellis Wyatt

3:56p, 4/15/24

In reply to GeorgiAg

Quote:
I don't know why this took so long to start. Now it's smack dab in the middle of election season. The optics definitely don't look good and this sets a terrible precedent

You don't?! For a "crime" that took place in 2016?

I know why, beyond the shadow of a doubt.

aggiehawg

3:59p, 4/15/24

Quote:
Judge Juan Merchan told Donald Trump's team he will see them next week when asked about the possibility of changing the schedule so the former president could attend Supreme Court arguments April 25.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche noted the former president "very much" wants to attend the arguments over whether the former president may claim immunity in special counsel Jack Smith's election subversion case.

Prosecutor Josh Steinglass said there's no obligation that the defendant has to be present at the Supreme Court arguments, opposing the request.

"Your client is a criminal defendant," Merchan told Blanche. "He's required to be here" and not at the Supreme Court.

Merchan said he will see him "here next week."

Quote:
Former President Donald Trump railed against the criminal case against him in New York after the first day of jury selection on Monday. He called it a "scam trial" and a "political witch-hunt" in remarks outside the courtroom.

Trump was charged last year with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for his alleged role in a hush-money scheme before the 2016 election. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

On Monday, Trump complained that he would not be able to attend his son's graduation from high school because of the trial.

The judge said he will not yet rule on Trump's request to skip the trial on May 17 for him to attend his son's high school graduation. "It really depends on if we are on time and where we are in the trial," Judge Juan Merchan said.

The post was updated with more comments from the former president.

Quote:
Lawyers on both sides are working to select a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates in the hush money trial against former President Donald Trump.

On Monday, 96 prospective jurors were brought into Judge Juan Merchan's courtroom to be vetted. More than half were excused after saying they couldn't be fair and impartial, and at least nine others were excused after raising their hand when Merchan asked whether they could not serve for any other reason.

Before the selection process began, Merchan made several rulings on evidence that can be included in the trial.
How the process will work:
Potential jurors will complete a questionnaire created by the judge with input from the attorneys for Trump and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
If the potential jurors make it into the jury box, they'll read their answers out loud. The attorneys and the judge can then ask follow-up questions to further vet them for possible conflicts or biases.
Eighteen potential jurors were called into the jury box Monday. Merchan questioned nine people before court ended for the day. One person was dismissed after she said she had firmly held beliefs about Trump. Merchan excused another juror who said his child was getting married on June 8.
The judge can dismiss prospective jurors for cause. Prosecutors and Trump's defense team will also get 10 peremptory strikes they can use to remove a juror from the pool, no questions asked.
The identities of the jurors will remain anonymous but will be known to the attorneys on both sides.
Why the jury is such an important factor in this case: Choosing a jury will be no easy task when the defendant is a former president who has been at the center of US politics for nearly 10 years now and a figure in the New York tabloids going back decades. Trump's lawyers have already argued that he can't get a fair jury in New York County because the jury pool is biased against him. The petition to move the trial was denied.
Here's what else to know:
Trump in court: Trump stood and turned around when he was introduced as the defendant, giving the prospective jurors a tight-lipped smirk, according to pool reports. Many prospective panelists who filed into the courtroom stretched their necks and lifted their heads to get a look at Trump once in their seats. According to the pool reporters inside the courtroom, Trump was leaning back in his chair with his arms folded and his eyes appeared to be closed for several minutes at a time.
A hearing next week: Merchan said he will hold a hearing on April 23 on the district attorney's motion to sanction Trump for his social media posts that prosecutors allege violate the gag order against him.
Swatting incident: A couple of dozen emails were generated indicating that bombs had been placed in the area around the Manhattan courthouse, a law enforcement source told CNN. The threats were unfounded and ruled to be a "swatting" incident, the source said.

aggiehawg

4:30p, 4/15/24

Quote:
The opening day of the first criminal trial of former President Donald Trump hit home the reality that the presumptive Republican nominee for president will be sitting in a Manhattan courtroom as a defendant four days a week.

Here are the key takeaways from day one of "The People of the State of New York vs Donald Trump."

The difficulty in picking a jury: Merchan brought in 96 New Yorkers as prospective jurors. More than half were quickly dismissed because they said they did not think they could be fair and impartial. Among the other nine potential jurors who were questioned, none said they had read any books written by either Trump or Michael Cohen. And none had said they'd worked or volunteered for Trump.

Defense wants to slow things down: Sources told CNN that there will likely be many objections and sidebars during the trial because the defense is completely focused on preserving every issue for appeal. These tactics fit the larger Trump legal strategy, which included months of appeals to delay the start of the trial, which was successful on separate grounds. The defense now hopes legal proceedings, which are expected to last six to eight weeks, move at a slow pace with the 2024 election just months away.

Trump accused of violating gag order: Prosecutors asked Judge Juan Merchan to sanction Trump and fine him for violating the gag order prohibiting him from talking about witnesses in the case, the DA's office or court staff. Merchan scheduled a hearing on the district attorney's motion for next Tuesday.

"Access Hollywood" tape can't be played, but actress can testify: Merchan sided with prosecutors in allowing Karen McDougal, an actress and model who alleged she also had an affair with Trump, to testify. Prosecutors can also introduce National Enquirer stories slamming Trump's opponents as evidence. Trump has denied the affair. A key victory for Trump, meanwhile, was Merchan's ruling that the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape can't be played in court, saying it was prejudicial. Prosecutors also will not be allowed to bring up other sexual assault allegations against Trump that surfaced after the "Access Hollywood tape" was made public in October 2016.

Unless I missed something, zero jurors were seated today. Nor is there any reason to believe the next panel of 96 will be any better with 62 being dimissed for mainly bias and lack of impartiality.

fc2112

4:33p, 4/15/24

In reply to aggiehawg

aggiehawg said:
will25u said:
That Bronx da is getting a defense strike
Depends on what the jury consultant digs up but yeah that is the more likely scenario.

My niece is an ADA in a large Texas county. When she gets a jury summons, and when she ends up in a pool, the judge sees her come in and excuses her on the spot ans tells her to get back to work.

DenverAg91

4:38p, 4/15/24

Question for lawyers on this

"Trump attorney Todd Blanche noted the former president "very much" wants to attend the arguments over whether the former president may claim immunity in special counsel Jack Smith's election subversion case.

Prosecutor Josh Steinglass said there's no obligation that the defendant has to be present at the Supreme Court arguments, opposing the request."

Why do prosecutors oppose every single defense motion? Are they just trying to be a pain in the ass and be anal over everything?

aggiehawg

4:50p, 4/15/24

In reply to DenverAg91

DenverAg91 said:
Question for lawyers on this

"Trump attorney Todd Blanche noted the former president "very much" wants to attend the arguments over whether the former president may claim immunity in special counsel Jack Smith's election subversion case.

Prosecutor Josh Steinglass said there's no obligation that the defendant has to be present at the Supreme Court arguments, opposing the request."

Why do prosecutors oppose every single defense motion? Are they just trying to be a pain in the ass and be anal over everything?

It is not well known but prosecutors and defense counsel do cooperate on matters outside of court all of the time. The only things they cannot agree on are broached in open court for the judge to rule.

Reality Check

4:57p, 4/15/24

Quote:
The DA alleges Trump had the hush-money payments fraudulently recorded in his internal books as "legal expenses" (rather than, I don't know, "hush money to porn star").

Anyone want to take a crack at explaining to me why anything recorded in internal books is subject to state prosecution?

If I lie to my diary in New York can I be sent to prison?

How do I get a Longhorn tag?

Ag with kids

5:11p, 4/15/24

In reply to GeorgiAg

GeorgiAg said:
Ellis Wyatt said:
GeorgiAg said:
aggiehawg said:
Quote:
A potential juror said he has a child getting married on June 8. Judge Juan Merhcan noted that it's right on the edge. He said the trial should be done by then, but he doesn't know for sure.

The potential juror said the wedding will be held in Seattle.

The judge excused the juror to "be on the safe side."
June 8 is on the edge? How long is this trial going to take?
Trump is going to go nuts sitting in court that long. Hell, I'd go nuts, but he is going to lose his mind.
Especially since he's fully aware that this is all only to smear him and keep him off the campaign trail.
I don't know why this took so long to start. Now it's smack dab in the middle of election season. The optics definitely don't look good and this sets a terrible precedent

C'mon...

You DO know...Everything about this trial is done to politically harm Trump.

Keeping him off the campaign trail for 2 months is part of that plan...

Reality Check

5:13p, 4/15/24

Tell me if I'm wrong but did I just hear Alvin Bragg STILL hasn't said what the second crime is? The crime that Trump allegedly falsified documents "in furtherance of"?

Why hasn't the judge demanded that happen as a precursor to this going to trial?

How do I get a Longhorn tag?

BQ78

5:13p, 4/15/24

Remember in 2020 when press pundits said Biden couldn't be charged with crimes because he was a candidate for president?

I remember.

aggiehawg

5:21p, 4/15/24

In reply to Reality Check

Reality Check said:
Tell me if I'm wrong but did I just hear Alvin Bragg STILL hasn't said what the second crime is? The crime that Trump allegedly falsified documents "in furtherance of"?

Why hasn't the judge demanded that happen as a precursor to this going to trial?

You know why. The judge has an agenda and it is not following the law. Case should have never survived a motion to dismiss from the get go. Time barred for misdemeanor charges and th predicate crime supporting the upgrade to felony is vague, ambiguous and not an actual crime.

Trump is being prosecuted on one of the 34 counts for Cohen creating an invoice and sending it to Trump. Like Trump controls Cohen's billings? Ludicrous.

fredfredunderscorefred

5:38p, 4/15/24

In reply to GeorgiAg

GeorgiAg said:
Ellis Wyatt said:
GeorgiAg said:
aggiehawg said:
Quote:
A potential juror said he has a child getting married on June 8. Judge Juan Merhcan noted that it's right on the edge. He said the trial should be done by then, but he doesn't know for sure.

The potential juror said the wedding will be held in Seattle.

The judge excused the juror to "be on the safe side."
June 8 is on the edge? How long is this trial going to take?
Trump is going to go nuts sitting in court that long. Hell, I'd go nuts, but he is going to lose his mind.
Especially since he's fully aware that this is all only to smear him and keep him off the campaign trail.
I don't know why this took so long to start. Now it's smack dab in the middle of election season. The optics definitely don't look good and this sets a terrible precedent

other information you have available: this incident happened in 2016/2017; government is also trying to set two other criminal trials in the middle of election for stuff that happened early 2021.

TDS/logic/comprehension test: you really don't know why this case which requires his presence (and the other two likely will also) is set in the middle of election season? really don't know?

aggiehawg

5:42p, 4/15/24

CNN cannot stop updating their blog.

Quote:
The jury of 12, along with six alternates, will be chosen from hundreds of New Yorkers after an exhaustive selection process that could stretch beyond the first week of the trial.
Court officials expect about 500 new jurors to appear each day for the selection process. About 100 prospective jurors at a time will be brought into Judge Juan Merchan's courtroom to be vetted.
Here is the breakdown of the first day of jury selection:
Just after 2:30 p.m., 96 prospective jurors were brought in for questioning and sworn in.
At least 50 were immediately excused after saying they could not be fair and impartial.
At least nine more prospective jurors were excused after raising their hand when asked whether they could not serve for any other reason. Those reasons were not disclosed.
Upon questioning:
Merchan called 18 New Yorkers to the jury box for questioning.
Ten were questioned by the end of the day. One person was dismissed after she said she had firmly held beliefs about Trump. Merchan excused another juror who said his child was getting married on June 8.
What's next: There are nine more jurors in the box who need to be questioned, and Merchan said the remainder of Monday's group would also be questioned Tuesday. Another panel of potential jurors will be brought in after the first group is completed, Merchan said.

Aggie Apotheosis

6:34p, 4/15/24

In reply to Reality Check

Reality Check said:
Quote:
The DA alleges Trump had the hush-money payments fraudulently recorded in his internal books as "legal expenses" (rather than, I don't know, "hush money to porn star").
Anyone want to take a crack at explaining to me why anything recorded in internal books is subject to state prosecution?

Because he arranged payment through a shell company, which he later reimbursed with funds labeled as "legal fees." This is a class E felony in New York.

The fact that he boinked a porn star while his wife was home with his newborn son, paid the porn star hush money so she wouldn't spoil his chances to win an election, then lied on camera to the American people regarding whether he had done so? None of that may be illegal, just rotten to the core.

Aggie Apotheosis

6:36p, 4/15/24

In reply to fredfredunderscorefred

fredfredunderscorefred said:

TDS/logic/comprehension test: you really don't know why this case which requires his presence (and the other two likely will also) is set in the middle of election season? really don't know?

Because his lawyers have been fighting/trying to delay everything long enough so that it goes past the election and he can then pardon himself if he wins? Or was this a rhetorical question?

Phog06

6:40p, 4/15/24

In reply to Old McDonald

Old McDonald said:
one thing we can all agree on: trump cheated on his pregnant wife with a p*** star

So, when is that a crime?

Phog06

6:44p, 4/15/24

In reply to Aggie Apotheosis

Aggie Apotheosis said:
Reality Check said:
Quote:
The DA alleges Trump had the hush-money payments fraudulently recorded in his internal books as "legal expenses" (rather than, I don't know, "hush money to porn star").
Anyone want to take a crack at explaining to me why anything recorded in internal books is subject to state prosecution?

Because he arranged payment through a shell company, which he later reimbursed with funds labeled as "legal fees." This is a class E felony in New York.

The fact that he boinked a porn star while his wife was home with his newborn son, paid the porn star hush money so she wouldn't spoil his chances to win an election, then lied on camera to the American people regarding whether he had done so? None of that may be illegal, just rotten to the core.

So what! The man's moral character is not on trial here. Bragg intentionally increased this BS to a felony even after the DOJ declined to pursue the case. So where is the crime?

This is the type of BS our justice department is going after in lieu of real crimes just because its Trump. You low information Dem voters and CMs know this to be true.

Ag with kids

6:48p, 4/15/24

In reply to Aggie Apotheosis

Aggie Apotheosis said:
fredfredunderscorefred said:

TDS/logic/comprehension test: you really don't know why this case which requires his presence (and the other two likely will also) is set in the middle of election season? really don't know?

Because his lawyers have been fighting/trying to delay everything long enough so that it goes past the election and he can then pardon himself if he wins? Or was this a rhetorical question?

Nah...they could have brought this case 5 years ago. The brought it when they did to interfere with the election.

fredfredunderscorefred

7:06p, 4/15/24

In reply to Aggie Apotheosis

Aggie Apotheosis said:
fredfredunderscorefred said:

TDS/logic/comprehension test: you really don't know why this case which requires his presence (and the other two likely will also) is set in the middle of election season? really don't know?

Because his lawyers have been fighting/trying to delay everything long enough so that it goes past the election and he can then pardon himself if he wins? Or was this a rhetorical question?

I see the judge has denied multiple requests to continue the trial; he did give a few weeks based on late-producd documents, but that wasn't significant (trump sought more time). what motions have been granted which delayed the trial? Or is this proceeding to trial within the normal time frame of a felony case in Manhattan (one year since indictment)

Edit: indictment in March 2023 and judge set March 25 2024 as trial date in May 2023. So what actions did Trump successfully do that made this fall in the middle of election season? Think it is just happen to be falling in a random stretch of months since the event happened in 2016/2017. Still want to go with trumps delay tactics made this happen in the middle of election season? This really is a TDS/logic/comprehension test.

aggiejayrod

7:34p, 4/15/24

In reply to aggiehawg

aggiehawg said:
Reality Check said:
Tell me if I'm wrong but did I just hear Alvin Bragg STILL hasn't said what the second crime is? The crime that Trump allegedly falsified documents "in furtherance of"?

Why hasn't the judge demanded that happen as a precursor to this going to trial?
You know why. The judge has an agenda and it is not following the law. Case should have never survived a motion to dismiss from the get go. Time barred for misdemeanor charges and th predicate crime supporting the upgrade to felony is vague, ambiguous and not an actual crime.

Trump is being prosecuted on one of the 34 counts for Cohen creating an invoice and sending it to Trump. Like Trump controls Cohen's billings? Ludicrous.

Now I'm shocked Fani hasn't indicted Trump for Wade lying on his billing.

PA24

9:02p, 4/15/24

In reply to aggiejayrod

aggiejayrod said:
aggiehawg said:
Reality Check said:
Tell me if I'm wrong but did I just hear Alvin Bragg STILL hasn't said what the second crime is? The crime that Trump allegedly falsified documents "in furtherance of"?

Why hasn't the judge demanded that happen as a precursor to this going to trial?
You know why. The judge has an agenda and it is not following the law. Case should have never survived a motion to dismiss from the get go. Time barred for misdemeanor charges and th predicate crime supporting the upgrade to felony is vague, ambiguous and not an actual crime.

Trump is being prosecuted on one of the 34 counts for Cohen creating an invoice and sending it to Trump. Like Trump controls Cohen's billings? Ludicrous.

Now I'm shocked Fani hasn't indicted Trump for Wade lying on his billing.

All of these trials hitting in the election year, all of them.

Planned no doubt.

Election interference without question.