At the trial of former US President Donald Trump in New York, the defense tries to shake the main prosecution witness. The Republican candidate’s lawyers tried on Thursday, May 16, to portray him as an inveterate liar, to discredit him in the eyes of the jury.
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For Donald Trump to be convicted at the end of this trial, the jury must be unanimous. The defense therefore seeks to introduce doubt into the minds of at least one of the jurors. His strategy: discredit the main prosecution witness, Michael Cohen, reports our correspondent in Miami,David Thomson.
Because Trump’s ex-lawyer is key piece of prosecutors’ puzzle : the one who described himself as the man of bad tricks, capable of “ lie » or “ intimidate » on behalf of his former boss, is the author of hidden payments to buy the silence of ex-pornographic actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. All to hide a sexual relationship between the ex-actress and the Republican billionaire, which the latter denies.
During his testimony, Michael Cohen claimed to have acted on orders from his former boss, to ensure, he said, ” that the story would not come out, and would not affect Donald Trump’s chances of becoming president of the United States “. And he assured that Donald Trump validated his reimbursement in 2017, expenses disguised according to the accusation as “ legal fees » in the accounts of the Trump Organization, Donald Trump’s real estate holding company.
It is for these alleged cover-ups that Donald Trump has been appearing since April 15 for accounting falsifications, offenses which could earn him the first criminal conviction of a former president of the United States. This would be a possible earthquake for the Republican candidate for the White House, even if he will still be able to face the voters on November 5.
Michael Cohen takes the stand after the testimony of Stormy Daniels herself.
Donald Trump’s defense tries to evoke passages unrelated to the trial
But Michael Cohen is not worthy of belief, wanted to demonstrate the defense lawyer, Todd Blanche. Donald Trump’s defense questions Michael Cohen first about his lies before Congress in 2017, then those which earned him 13 months in prison in 2018. So many lies unrelated to the affair, but which would paint the portrait of a inveterate liar, according to the defense.
“ I agreed to take responsibility », replied Donald Trump’s former counsel, on his third day of testimony. The lawyer listed numerous other episodes where Michael Cohen, according to him, had come to terms with the truth, before casting doubt on the veracity of his testimony.
The defense then points out some of his inconsistencies, starting with a phone call in 2016 during which Cohen claims to have informed Trump that the payments of 130,000 had been passed to Stormy Daniels to buy his silence. “ It was a lie. Admit it », Launched Todd Blanche, his voice firm. Because in his cross-examination, Trump’s current lawyer manages to demonstrate, with supporting text messages, that this crucial call perhaps related to a completely different subject.
Upset, Michael Cohen still maintained his version.
The defense also insisted on the ego injury that the witness would have felt, when, once Donald Trump entered the White House on January 20, 2017, he had not been recruited there, and his desire for revenge since he was caught by the courts. “ You better believe in my will to bring down » Donald Trump, the jurors were able to hear in full audience, an excerpt from a podcast by Michael Cohen in 2020.
If Todd Blanche manages to convince just one of the jurors that Michael Cohen is not trustworthy, he could save Donald Trump.
End of debates?
The debates could come to an end soon. Donald Trump’s defense confirmed Thursday that it has at this stage only one witness to call, an expert in campaign financing laws, and maintains doubt about possible testimony from Donald Trump himself.
Judge Juan Merchan told the parties to prepare for closing arguments beginning Tuesday, May 21, with cross-examination of Michael Cohen expected to conclude Monday, May 20.