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Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial continues today at Manhattan Criminal Court with adult film actress Stormy Daniels set to take the stand.
Monday’s session saw Judge Juan Merchan find the former president in contempt of court for a tenth time, fining him another $1,000 and warning that the next violation of his gag order would result in jail time.
The jury then heard from two more witnesses, Jeffrey McConney and Deborah Tarasoff, about the paper trail within the Trump Organization leading to Michael Cohen’s $130,000 payment to Daniels to ensure her silence about the sexual encounter she alleges she had with Mr Trump, which his inner circle feared could sink his presidential campaign in late 2016.
As the day drew to a close, the prosecution told Judge Merchan that they expect to be able to wrap up their case in about two weeks, with Cohen among the witnesses yet to be called.
Yesterday’s hearing followed Friday’s emotional testimony from ex-White House communication director Hope Hicks, who recounted the panic that set in when the notorious Access Hollywood tape first emerged.
The Independent’s Alex Woodward is covering the trial at Manhattan Criminal Court.
Watch: Trump yet again claims he did nothing wrong in paying Cohen
Oliver O'Connell7 May 2024 14:49
The first witness of the day is Sally Franklin, a senior vice president and executive managing editor with Penguin Random House.
Rebecca Mangold is on direct for the prosecution.
Alex Woodward7 May 2024 14:40
Judge Merchan says “We don’t need to know the details,” but agrees with the defence that there are questions about her credibility, so prosecutors should be able to ask her about her experience to lay the groundwork.
The jury is coming into the courtroom.
Alex Woodward7 May 2024 14:35
Susan Necheles is in the big chair for the defence.
Stormy Daniels will be the second witness today. Necheles is renewing the objection to her testimony, “particularly to her testifying to any details about any sexual acts,” which are “unduly prejudicial,” she says.
“No reason for it to come into a case about books and records,” she says.
Judge Merchan asks: “What do you mean, anything more than: We had sex?”
For the prosecution, Susan Hoffinger says Daniels’s testimony will go over how they met, their encounter in a hotel room, and how they ended up having sex.
“And in terms of the sexual act, it will be very basic.”
Alex Woodward7 May 2024 14:34
Court gets underway
Alex Woodward is reporting for The Independent live from the courthouse in Lower Manhattan:
Donald Trump has a big gold tie today.
The prosecution team is Rebecca Mangold, Susan Hoffinger, and Joshua Steinglass.
The former president is once again scowling at the photo pool as they pop in for a brief moment to snag some pictures before the judge is seated.
Alina Habba, in a white suit, is sitting by herself in the first row of the courtroom right behind the defence table.
Judge Juan Merchan has entered the courtroom.
Oliver O'Connell7 May 2024 14:30
Jimmy Kimmel says Trump will end up in jail ‘as he can’t stop talking about hush money case’
The late-night host, a long-time enemy of the former president’s, continues to watch the trial keenly and sees no way for Trump to stay out of jail as the man just cannot keep his mouth shut.
Here’s Amelia Neath with more.
Oliver O'Connell7 May 2024 14:20
Trump rants about New York congestion pricing on way to court
Donald Trump apparently has other things on his mind this morning as he heads to court... New York will soon be implementing a congestion charge to enter much of Manhattan.
Here’s what the former president wrote on Truth Social a few minutes ago:
I can’t believe that New York City is instituting Congestion Pricing, where everyone has to pay a fortune for the “privilege” of coming into the City, which is in desperate trouble without it. It is a big incentive not to come - there are plenty of other places to go. It’s been a failure everywhere it has been tried, and would only work if a place were HOT, HOT, HOT, which New York City is not right now. What office tenant or business would want to be here with this tax. Hopefully, it will soon be withdrawn!
Oliver O'Connell7 May 2024 14:11
Stormy Daniels may seal Trump’s fate. How did a porn star become one of the most powerful people in politics?
Here’s Io Dodds’ profile of today’s star witness at trial.
How Stormy Daniels became one of the most powerful people in politics
Stormy Daniels was dancing her way through a ‘Make America Horny Again’ tour when news emerged that she had received hush money payments from Donald Trump. As those payments sit at the centre of an indictment against Trump, Io Dodds explains how Daniels landed in the middle of a political firestorm
Joe Sommerlad7 May 2024 13:45
New York hush money trial: Stormy Daniels reported to be today’s trial witness
The adult film actress at the heart of the case against Trump appears to be next up on the witness stand, according to the Associated Press.
The defendant, incidentally, posted this on his social platform earlier but appears to have thought better of it in light of Judge Merchan’s comments yesterday and swiftly deleted it.
Joe Sommerlad7 May 2024 13:10
Live: Trump’s hush money trial resumes after former president threatened with possible jail time
You can watch events unfold in Manhattan this morning via our latest livestream.
Joe Sommerlad7 May 2024 13:00
