Former President Trump's Hush Money Trial: Defense Rests Without Trump's Testimony, Jury Awaits Closing Arguments

New York City, New York United States of America
Former President Donald Trump's hush money trial came to a close on Tuesday as the defense rested without Trump taking the witness stand.
Prosecutors allege that Trump knew about a settlement negotiation with adult actor Stormy Daniels to keep her allegations of an affair out of the press ahead of the 2016 election and directed Cohen to make a settlement payment.
The jury is expected to hear closing arguments next Tuesday and begin deliberations by Wednesday.
Trump had vowed to testify in the trial but ultimately did not do so. The defense called two witnesses: a paralegal and lawyer Robert Costello.
Former President Trump's Hush Money Trial: Defense Rests Without Trump's Testimony, Jury Awaits Closing Arguments

Former President Donald Trump's hush money trial came to a close on Tuesday as the defense rested without Trump taking the witness stand. The jury is expected to hear closing arguments next Tuesday and begin deliberations by Wednesday.

Trump, who pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsified business records, had vowed to testify in the trial but ultimately did not do so. Prosecutors allege that Trump knew about a settlement negotiation with adult actor Stormy Daniels to keep her allegations of an affair out of the press ahead of the 2016 election and directed Cohen to make a settlement payment.

The defense called two witnesses: a paralegal who verified call logs between former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and lawyer and Trump ally Robert Costello, followed by Costello himself. In his testimony, Costello spoke about conversations he had with Cohen following the 2019 FBI raid on Cohen's home and office.

Prosecutors argued that Trump disguised a hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels as a legal payment and falsified business records numerous times to promote his candidacy. The defense, however, focused on attacking the credibility of the prosecution's key witness, Michael Cohen.

Trump has long maintained that he was only paying his lawyer for legal services. Speaking outside the courtroom Tuesday morning, Trump lamented his inability to campaign as much as he would like due to attending the trial every day it was in session and accused the judge of being biased.

The jury spent several days hearing testimony from Cohen, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, who testified about deals made with Cohen and Trump to suppress potentially damaging stories, and Keith Davidson, the lawyer who negotiated nondisclosure agreements for Daniels and former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal.

Daniels herself also testified for several days. She recounted meeting Trump in 2006, having an alleged sexual encounter with him, and negotiating to sell her story nearly a decade later.


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Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • The credibility of Michael Cohen as a witness.
  • Whether or not Trump directly ordered the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.

Sources

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Defense rests without ex-President Trump taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial

The Associated Press News Tuesday, 21 May 2024 04:06
  • Unique Points
    • Donald Trump's lawyers rested their defense in his New York hush money criminal trial without the former president taking the witness stand
    • Trump pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing in the case
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Live updates: Donald Trump's hush money trial

CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language CNN's Kara Tuesday, 21 May 2024 11:56
  • Unique Points
    • Robert Costello was called as a witness by the defense but had issues with proper decorum in court.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Trump won't testify in his New York hush money trial

National Public Radio (NPR) Ximena Bustillo Tuesday, 21 May 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • Former President Donald Trump appears in court with attorneys Emil Bove and Todd Blanche for his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday in New York City.
    • Trump’s defense called up two witnesses: a paralegal who verified call logs between former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and lawyer and Trump ally Robert Costello. Then they called Costello to the stand.
    • Although Trump vowed to testify in this trial as he has done in civil trials in New York, he did not end up taking the stand.
    • Prosecutors argue that Trump knew about a settlement negotiation with adult actor Stormy Daniels to keep her allegations of an affair out of the press ahead of the 2016 election, and that Trump directed Cohen to make a settlement payment of $130,000 to her.
    • Prosecutors allege that Trump disguised a hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels as a legal payment and falsified business records numerous times to promote his candidacy.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Trump's Criminal Hush-Money Trial: Live Updates

The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Matthew Haag, Tuesday, 21 May 2024 12:31
  • Unique Points
    • Robert Costello complained about Michael Cohen, implying he acted as an agent of Trump trying to keep him from cooperating with investigators following a raid by federal agents
    • Justice Merchan rebuked Robert Costello for speaking out of turn and reminding him that he is the only person who can strike testimony from the record
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

94%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Prosecution Rests Case in Trump Trial as Defense Targets Cohen Again

The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Kate Christobek, Monday, 20 May 2024 12:21
  • Unique Points
    • Donald J. Trump did not testify in his hush money trial.
    • The defense called up Robert Costello as a witness.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains a few informal fallacies and an appeal to authority. It also uses inflammatory rhetoric.
    • . . . the second witness Mr. Trump’s lawyers called to the stand quickly became embroiled in a squabble with the judge, Juan M. Merchan.
    • Justice Merchan scolded Mr. Costello for not displaying “proper decorum” and for giving him “side-eye.”
    • If convicted, he could face prison or probation. [...] If convicted, he could face prison time.
    • The former president is charged with falsifying 34 business records related to the reimbursement of a $130,000 hush-money payment to a porn star.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication