Trump Indicted by Manhattan District Attorney

[N.E. Brigand]

I saw two different reporters note that Donald Trump again was asleep in court this morning, including this from New York Daily News writer:

"Todd Blanche [one of Trump's attorneys] appeared to gently shake Trump awake, nudging his shoulder, as the six alternates filed out of the courtroom, and he was the only person still sitting down."

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I saw that too. While some of the reports of him sleeping I think were over-emphasized, this was a very bad time for it to happen as it could leave a lasting impression on the jury.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

[Voronwë the Faithful]

The jury sent another note asking to have the instructions read back to them again (since they don't have a copy). The judge has asked them to clarify whether they want all of them read, or just some of them, but apparently has sent them home for the day because the parties are still trying to agree on what testimony should be provided to them. Apparently that too needs to be read to them, rather than copies given to them.

Odd!

[N.E. Brigand]

An unnamed "celebrity athlete" tells the Daily Beast that Donald Trump boasted at the time about having slept with Stormy Daniels.

I think the jurors should know that. Would it be OK for me to engage an airplane to tow a banner with that news over New York City tomorrow?

(Who is the athlete? My wild guess would be Tiger Woods.)

[Voronwë the Faithful]

What's the logic behind the New York law that forbids the jury from having the judge's instructions to them in writing?

Here is some discussion about this questions (which makes little sense to me.



While it is true that the jury's province is the facts, not the law, in a case like this they have to know what the applicable law is in order to apply the facts. In any event, it is clear that the judge could give the jury instructions to the jury if both parties consent. While it hasn't been stated on the record (so far as I know), most seem to think that Trump's team doesn't want to give consent.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

We have an answer to what jury instructions the jury is looking for.

[N.E. Brigand]

So the jury wanted the testimony that shows Donald Trump deputized Michael Cohen to work on his behalf with David Pecker. And the jury wants the instructions that explain how they may infer based on the evidence. Does this mean there's a jury member who is having trouble with the idea that Michael Cohen was acting at Donald Trump's direction and not on his own? To most of us it seems obvious that Cohen wouldn't independently take out a loan on his home to pay off Trump's lover. I hope no juror is having trouble with that.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

It's hard to say. This early in the deliberations, it is just as likely that the panel as a whole is trying to clarify the facts. Most commentators who have more criminal trial experience than I do seem to think that the requests are a bad sign -- for Trump.

[River]

You've got twelve people in a room and you've denied them a copy of the rules. I'd say a request for clarification/refresher is a sign that humans are being humans in there.

I saw somewhere that if the defendant and the prosecution consent, the jury CAN have a copy of the instructions. Is that correct?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

More on the issue of not giving a written copy of the jury instructions to the jury.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

After stating they were going leave early at 4:30 today, all of a sudden there is news that there is a verdict after all. That seems like good news to me. It seems very unlikely that they would have reached an acquittal this quickly.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Even if it makes no iota of difference to the election, even if it ends up helping Trump, I find that I would feel extremely gratified to learn that Trump was held accountable for his despicable conduct.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Donald Trump is a convicted felon. Get used to hearing that.

[N.E. Brigand]

Unless there's a hung jury, my guess is that they return a verdict early Friday afternoon.

Faster than I expected!

And I didn't even have to hire a plane. (I wonder if that celebrity athlete will agree to be identified now.)

[Frelga]

Whoah. I admire the courage of these 12 people. And lament the fact that we are close enough to becoming a fascist dictatorship that this really was an act of courage.

[N.E. Brigand]

This is far from the most important point, but still:



Donald Trump does, or at least used to, have a license to carry a concealed firearm.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Sentencing is on July 11, four days before the RNC.

Not sure if this is a harbinger of anything but:

Shares of Truth Social owner Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT) tumbled 9% in after-hours trading Thursday after former President Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony charges.

Trump Media’s share price was little changed until news broke that the jury had reached a verdict. Shares then fell sharply after the conviction was announced.

[N.E. Brigand]

Renatto Mariotti writes that Trump's team "lost a very winnable case."

This is where I get frustrated with how many lawyers seem to view the world. You're either guilty or you're not. There is an underlying truth that really exists. It shouldn't be possible for legal maneuverings to change that. And yes, I'm also thinking of prosecutors who get innocent people convicted.

[Sunsilver]

Even if it makes no iota of difference to the election, even if it ends up helping Trump, I find that I would feel extremely gratified to learn that Trump was held accountable for his despicable conduct.

Oh, I am doing the happy dance here!! YES!!


May this be a sign of more to come! The way he handled the classified documents case is MUCH more important than bribing a porn star, and there is ample evidence that he tried to cover that up!