The debate over jury instructions turned to the definition of "accomplice liability."

Prosecutors argued that jury should be told that Trump can be convicted because he caused false leger entries to be created by Trump Organization employees Jeff McConney and Deb Tarasoff.

Prosecutors said it's a necessary instruction because the defense argued in opening statements that Trump himself did not enter accounting records.

Merchan reserved his decision about "accessorial liability" but said he was inclined to strike the proposed language related to the issue from the final charge.

As the lawyers continue their debate, Trump is flipping through a three-inch stack of papers, some of which appear to be press clippings.

Judge Merchan turned to what he called "the most challenging issue facing us all": how to pronounce "eleemosynary," which he said means "relating to charity." The quip got a laugh from both sides.

Merchan moved to delete the word from the jury instructions, and neither side objected.

The judge moved on to discussing the definition of "intent" as it relates to Trump's conduct.

Defense attorney Emil Bove requested that the jury instruction place "more emphasis" on the elements needed to prove Trump had an intent to defraud when he allegedly falsified documents.

"I am going to stick with the standard language," Merchan replied, shooting down the request.

Judge Merchan heard arguments over how former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's 2018 guilty plea on charges related to the Stormy Daniels payment should be described to the jury -- whether Cohen "participated" in crimes or was "convicted" of crimes.

The judge said echoed a defense concern that Cohen's convictions could be used to infer that Trump, by proxy, should also be found guilty.

"It seems like to me right now we are really playing with fire and getting close to that," Merchan said.

In general, Merchan reminded the parties, "Where there are standard pattern jury instructions, I don't deviate"

The defense is arguing a candidate's expenses arising from controversies are not necessarily campaign expenses.

Merchan suggests the language should be as follows: "If the payment would have been made, even in the absence of the candidacy, the payment should not be treated as a contribution."

Prosecutors have argued the payment to Stormy Daniels should have been labeled a campaign expenditure because it was meant to protect Trump's electoral prospects in 2016

Merchan reserves his decision on the issue but suggests he would include both proposed sentences from the parties.

Under cross-examination from prosecutor Susan Hoffinger, Michael Cohen's former attorney Robert Costello testified that he first met with Cohen at the urging of Jeffrey Citron, who scheduled the April 2018 meeting at the Regency Hotel.

Costello -- who has represented Leona Helmsley and George Steinbrenner in the past -- acknowledged that representing Cohen would have generated positive publicity for his law firm. But Costello said he did not have positive feelings about landing Cohen as a client.

"I didn't want him as a client with the firm," Costello said, pushing back on prosecutors' assertions that landing Cohen would have been a big win.

Jurors briefly saw an email where Costello's son congratulated him for landing Cohen as a client.

"Wow. That's big news. Congrats Dad. I hope this leads to a lot of good things coming your way," Costello's son wrote.

Asked about the FBI's raid on Cohen's office and hotel room, Costello said, "I wouldn't use the term raid -- they executed a search warrant."

"He was suicidal that day and acting very manic," Costello said about Cohen's behavior after the FBI searched on his hotel and office.

""You thought he was being a drama queen, didn't you?" Hoffinger asked.

"He was putting on quite a show and he explained to us that two nights before he was on the roof of the Regency Hotel and he was going to jump off and kill himself because he couldn't handle the pressure," Costello said.

Testimony subsequently concluded for the day, with Costello scheduled to return to the stand tomorrow.