Trump civil fraud case: Judge fines Trump $354M, says frauds 'shock the conscience'

With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, lawyers for Trump and New York Attorney General Letitia James engaged in a heated argument about whether an expert real estate appraiser committed perjury during his testimony yesterday.

"You lied yesterday, didn't you?" defense lawyer Lazaro Fields asked former Cushman & Wakefield real estate executive Doug Larson -- a line of questioning that prompted Larson to be excused from the courtroom while the attorneys sparred.

"This witness has rights and a lawyer in the room," Trump lawyer Chris Kise said, while lawyers for the state shouted "absurd" and "witness intimidation" from their chairs.

The squabble centered on Larson's testimony about whether he assisted the Trump Organization in determining capitalization rates to value their properties.

"Did you work with Mr. McConney in 2013 to determine the cap rate that he used to value his property?" state attorney Mark Ladov asked Larson yesterday, referring to Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney.

"No, I did not," Larson testified yesterday.

Fields attempted to contradict Larson's answer this morning by showing emails between McConney and Larson that suggested the two occasionally spoke about market conditions.

"Jeff McConney would call me, periodically, not frequently, to talk about sales and market conditions," Larson conceded.

But Larson denied having conversations with McConney about the value of Trump's 40 Wall Street property in 2013.

After a brief interruption, Fields presented a 2014 email where McConney asked Larson, "I hate to be a pest, but the accountants are coming in tomorrow to go over my valuations. Any chance you can answer my question below?"

Asked about that email, Larson acknowledged that McConney was using his information to support Trump Organization valuations in 2013.

It was at this point that Fields directly asked if Larson had lied yesterday, prompting the witness to be excused briefly.

"He perjured himself yesterday, in my opinion," Kise told the court.

"This is a performance … not a legal issue," Wallace countered.

"He was accused of perjury on the stand," Engoron noted before bringing Larson back into the courtroom.

While Larson still denied that he "worked with" McConney on the valuations, he ultimately conceded that he knew the information he provided was used to value Trump properties at the time -- seemingly contradicting his testimony yesterday.

"You knew in 2013 that Mr. McConney was using the information you sent him, mainly the capitalization rates, to value the Trump properties?" Fields said.

"I did," Larson said.

Former President Trump is back in court for the second day in a row.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is also attending the proceedings this morning.

Trump was met with a swarm of cameras on his way into the court, though the courtroom itself is half empty, largely filled with reporters and security officers.

Like yesterday, Trump is sitting at the counsel table between his attorneys Chris Kise and Alina Habba.

Former President Trump is expected to be in court today for the second day in a row.

Lawyers for Trump have also suggested the former president plans to attend court during the testimony of his former lawyer Michael Cohen when Cohen eventually takes the stand.

Cohen delayed his testimony, which was originally scheduled to begin yesterday, due to a medical issue.

"[Trump] might have significant conflicts on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 8th" of November, Trump attorney Chris Kise told Judge Engoron regarding Trump's schedule in relation to Cohen's testimony.

"We are still operating on the assumption of Monday at the earliest" for Cohen to begin his testimony, Engoron said, adding that Cohen had submitted a "fairly extensive doctor's note."

Trump attorney Alina Habba, citing a conflict, requested Cohen's testimony begin on Tuesday at the earliest.

State attorney Kevin Wallace said he would confer with Cohen on timing and provide a schedule update this week.

Real estate executive Doug Larson, whose cross-examination began yesterday afternoon, is scheduled to complete his testimony this morning.

Larson, who testified yesterday that phone calls with him that were referenced in Trump Organization financial documents did not actually take place, faced hours of cross-examination yesterday by defense attorney Lazaro Fields.

Fields grilled Larson on discrepancies in the final drafts of appraisals --- a process that Larson acknowledged was less of a "science" than an "art."

Jack Weisselberg, an executive at the real estate investment firm Ladder Capital who is also the son of Trump Organization ex-CFO Allen Weisselberg, is scheduled to testify next about his work refinancing a loan of Trump's 40 Wall Street property.

"I suggest we call him Jack," said Judge Arthur Engoron, anticipating confusion regarding the actions of both Weisselbergs.