Trump trial: Biden calls Trump's remarks 'dangerous'

Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts in his hush money trial.

Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts 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 convicted on criminal charges.

Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.


Trump guilty on all 34 counts


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Merchan returns to help sort out requested testimony

Judge Merchan returned to the bench to check on how the search for the jury's requested readback material was coming.

"Where do we stand?" the judge asked.

Prosecutor Josh Steinglass said there were a "few outstanding issues" requiring Merchan's intervention.

Steinglass said the parties were in agreement about three of the four requests, but disagreed over the relevant portion of the transcript regarding David's Pecker's testimony about the 2015 Trump Tower meeting.

Steinglass said the lawyers disagreed over whether the jury should hear a portion of Pecker's testimony regarding what he relayed about the meeting to then-National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard.

"We tried to draw a line between the substance of the meeting and the execution," Steinglass told the judge.

"I can see why Mr. Blanche has some concerns about most of this," Merchan said after reviewing that portion of the transcript himself.


Search for readback material continues

Prosecutors Josh Steinglass and Susan Hoffinger, and defense attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove continued to hash out the relevant portion of the transcript for tomorrow's readback as requested by the jury.

After spending about half an hour in his waiting area, Donald Trump returned to the courtroom.

He entered alongside his son Don Jr. and took a seat at the defense table as the attorneys continued to pore over the material.


Judge confers with attorneys on readback material

After dismissing the jury for the day, Judge Merchan asked the lawyers not to leave the courtroom until they decide the portion for the jury's requested readback.

"Yes, your honor," defense attorney Todd Blanche responded.

As the lawyers met with Merchan at the bench, Trump leaned back in his seat at the defense table, with his arm resting on the top of his chair.

Blanche asked if Trump could return the his waiting area while the attorneys searched for the readback material.

Merchan said he would allow it as long as Trump remained nearby in case he is needed.

Trump slowly walked out of the courtroom, scowling as he left.


Judge says jury notes will be addressed tomorrow

With the jury back in the courtroom, Judge Merchan told them the requested readback of testimony would will take at least half an hour, so announced he would dismiss the jury for the day and address both their notes when they return tomorrow.

Before dismissing the jury for the day, the judge emphasized his standard instruction about the jury not looking up information related to the trial.

"You are at a critical point in the proceedings," Merchan said.

"See you tomorrow morning at 9:30," the judge said before the jury exited the courtroom.


Prosecutor slights Robert Costello's testimony

"You guys good to keep going?" prosecutor Josh Steinglass asked the jury after a brief sidebar. They nodded and some smiled.

"All right!" he exclaimed, and launched back into his closing, turning to Trump's alleged efforts to get Cohen not to "flip."

"Whatever else you think about Michael Cohen, it's clear that he was the defendant's fixer. And like all fixers, Cohen knew where the bodies were buried, and it was essential to keep him loyal," Steinglass said.

Steinglass touched on Cohen's communications with his onetime legal adviser Robert Costello -- the only substantive defense witness -- to emphasize that Cohen did not trust Costello and lied to him.

Costello testified that Cohen told him that Trump was not involved in the Daniels' hush money payment before he almost got kicked off the witness stand for irking the judge.

"Cohen never really trusted Costello and can you really blame him?" Steinglass asked. "You saw Costello testify."

"He displayed nothing but disdain for this court and proper decorum and his demeanor on the stand is something you can take into account … when assessing his credibility," Steinglass said.