Trump trial: 1st week of testimony ends with testimony from Michael Cohen's former banker
Banker Gary Farro testified in Donald Trump's hush money trial in New York.
Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Top headlines:
- Banker says he set up LLC, which Cohen used to pay Daniels
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- 'This story is true,' Pecker recounts being told of Stormy Daniels
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- Secret Service has plans if Trump is confined for contempt: Sources
What to know about the hush money case
READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.
Attorneys to present opening statements
After a week-long selection process, the jurors in Donald Trump's New York hush money case are scheduled to hear opening statements this morning in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president.
To prove their case, lawyers for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg need to convince twelve jurors beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump repeatedly falsified records to unlawfully influence the 2016 presidential election.
"This case has nothing to do with your personal politics or your feelings about a particular political issue," prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told prospective jurors on Thursday. "It's not a referendum on the Trump presidency, a popularity contest, or any indication of who you plan to vote for this fall. This case is about whether this man broke the law."
Trump's lawyers are expected to focus their efforts on going after the credibility of prosecution witnesses, suggesting the case itself is politically motivated and arguing that the former president never intended to commit a crime.
Trump, exiting court, reiterates his plans to testify
Former President Donald Trump reiterated his plans to testify in his criminal trial as he exited the courtroom at the end of the day.
"We just had another hearing and the trial starts on Monday, which is long before a lot of people thought," Trump said. "The judge wants to go as fast as possible."
The former president again, without evidence, called the trial a witch hunt orchestrated by his political rivals.
-Mike Pappano
Judge won't order prosecutors to disclose 1st witness
Judge Juan Merchan declined to order prosecutors to disclose their first witness after defense attorneys remade a request from yesterday.
"I still think that under the circumstances, the people's response is understandable, and I am not going to compel them to do anything," Merchan said, citing the hearing set for Tuesday to hold Trump in contempt for violating the judge's limited gag order.
Yesterday, prosecutors expressed concern that Trump might attack the initial witnesses if he learned their names. Today, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass offered a compromise -- that they would turn over the first witnesses name on Sunday with a strict condition.
"If that should be tweeted, that will be the last time we extend that courtesy," Steinglass said.
Steinglass said that while the testimony of the first witness will likely begin on Monday, it is unlikely the witness finishes their direct examination by the end of the day.
Court was subsequently recessed for the day.
Judge denies Trump's request for emergency stay
An appeals court judge has denied the defense's request for an emergency stay of the trial.
Trump earlier Friday filed the emergency appeal as he sought to change the venue of the trial based on some of the responses prospective jurors gave during the jury selection process.
The appeals court judge denied Trump's request to delay the start of the trial.
Trump's prior attempts to move the trial out of Manhattan have failed.
Jury selection resumes after break
Former President Trump is back at the defense table as court resumes after the lunch break.
While on break, Trump shared on his social media platform a newspaper opinion piece calling his former attorney Michael Cohen a "serial perjurer" and a "legal thug."
The former president, who is under a limited gag order prohibiting him from targeting witnesses in the case, did not add any comment of his own.