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.


What to know about the hush money case

READ MORE: Here's what you need to know about the historic case.


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Prosecutors again accuse Trump of violating limited gag order

Prosecutors are now bringing up what they say are more violations of the limited gag order on former President Trump.

Since they last brought up the issue earlier this week, Trump violated the gag order seven more times, prosecutors claimed.

"It's ridiculous, it has to stop," they said.

Prosecutors said they would like to discuss the seven new posts at the hearing on the matter that is scheduled next week.

"We are asking you to hold the defendant in contempt," they said.

But they indicated they could seek harsher penalties than just financial penalties, saying they are still "considering their options."

Trump attorney Emil Bove pushed back, saying the posts "don't establish there were any willful violations."


Jury 'just lost' one member, says judge

"We just lost what would have probably been a very good juror on this case," Judge Merchan said about Juror No. 2, who was subsequently excused without objection from both parties.

That brings the total number of seated jurors down to six, instead of seven.

Juror No. 2 said she "definitely has concerns now" regarding about what has been reported about her publicly. She said she received questions about her identity after colleagues and family said she may have been identified.

Judge Merchan admonished the press for revealing too much information about the jurors, and asked the press to "please refrain" from writing about jurors' physical appearance. He also said there was "no need" to mention one of the jurors had an Irish accent.

"It has become a problem," Marchan said.

Merchan then said he would be redacting some information from the public, including questions 3a and 3b from the jury questionnaire.


Juror tells court she has 'concerns' about serving

Court is off to a rocky start this morning after Judge Merchan said the court received a call from already-seated Juror No. 2, who conveyed that "after sleeping on it overnight, she had concerns" about serving on the case.

Marchan said he called that juror back this morning. She is now answering questions.

"I don't believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased," the juror said.


Court is back in session

Court is back in session this morning for Day 3 of jury selection. Former President Trump is in the courtroom in his usual seat between Todd Blanche and Emil Bove.

Two members of Trump's campaign, Jason Miller and Steven Chueng, are also in the courtroom on the last bench in the back of the room.

Trump sat conferring with his attorneys as he waited for Judge Marchan to take the bench.

"Good morning Mr. Trump," the judge said as he gaveled in in proceedings.


Prosecutors want to question Trump about civil cases

If former President Trump opts to testify in the trial, prosecutors want to question him about all the times he has been held liable in civil court, according to a new court filing in the case.

Prosecutors have asked Judge Juan Merchan to hold a hearing, known as a Sandoval hearing, to determine the scope of what they can ask Trump on cross-examination.

"We are prepared to do a Sandoval hearing now, later or whenever the court desires," Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass said on Monday.

The judge has not set a date for the hearing but suggested it could be Friday.

In their filing, prosecutors outlined the civil cases they'd like to bring up during the criminal trial, including the $464 million judgment in Trump's civil fraud case, the defamation and battery cases brought by E. Jean Carroll and a lawsuit Trump filed against Hillary Clinton claiming she conspired to rig the 2016 election, for which Trump and his lawyers faced legal sanctions after the case was thrown out as frivolous.

Prosecutors also want to question Trump about a criminal case his company lost in 2022, when the Trump Organization was convicted of tax evasion by providing non-cash compensation to top executives.

They also want to bring up a civil case the New York attorney general won against the Trump Foundation for misusing charitable donations.