#Bove insisted that #KeithDavidson was familiar w/ #extortion law after the brush w/ federal agents.
Bove also suggested that Davidson violated California's #ethics code for #lawyers by compensating non-lawyers w/ legal fees.
Lunch break
#Trump #criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
#KeithDavidson’s testimony exhumes a decade’s worth of #CelebritySleaze.
Payments from…Charlie Sheen to keep women silent. Rumors…Lindsay Lohan was in rehab. A lawsuit by Hulk Hogan…against the gossip website Gawker for publishing a tape of him having sex.
Testimony…at the #TrumpTrial…dove deeply into the #celebrity-obsessed #media environment…that helped fuel #Trump’s rise to political prominence.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/02/nyregion/trump-trial-celebrity-hush-money.html?smid=url-share
Basically yes, all these characters are sleazy scumbag criminals, but that’s who sleazy scumbag criminals typically conduct their sleazy scummy crimes with.
#Trump #criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
Susan#Necheles, one of #Trump's lawyers, begins by asking for a clarification on the #GagOrder, giving a copy of some news articles to the judge. The articles are by what she calls “legal commentators" including #Trump supporter #JonathanTurley, saying, "These articles are all articles which President Trump would like to post on Truth." She says they involve some witnesses & aspects of the case, but Trump has “concerns" about posting because they reference witnesses.
Chris #Conroy, the prosecutor, says they need to go through the articles but that it's "odd" that the defense is asking for an advance ruling.
When Conroy says that he thinks the #GagOrder is "very specific," #Trump vigorously shakes his head.
#Merchan says he is not going to pre-judge Trump's postings. "I'm not going to give advance rulings," he says.
"There is no ambiguity, I believe, in the order." He says that if Trump is in doubt, he should "steer clear."
FYI #Necheles, defended #TrumpOrganization in a #criminal #tax #law #case 2 yrs ago.
#Bove questioned #KeithDavidson if Larry Flynt, publisher of Hustler, offered to indemnify #StormyDaniels from liability she incurred relating to the #HushMoney deal.
Davidson said that Flynt offered, but Daniels did not accept.
Bove then questioned Davidson if #MichaelCohen secretly taped people. Davidson acknowledged he believed Cohen taped him at certain times.
#KeithDavidson said he thought #MichaelCohen was recording him because they were “structured conversations” & seemed “self-serving." + Cohen spoke on those calls differently than usual.
After that, defense played a taped, private conversation between #StormyDaniels' lawyer & Cohen in which Davidson talked about people having “settler’s remorse,” a reference to Daniels.
#Trump #criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
#Bove noted #KeithDavidson's use the word “leverage” on the tape, suggesting that he was seeking leverage over #Trump. Davidson denied that & said that Bove is “grossly mistaken about the dates” of when this conversation took place.
The recording was not introduced as evidence in the case so the jury & the observers aren’t hearing it. Davidson is listening on a headset, defense is using it to refresh his recollection about the conversation so Bove can question him about it.
#Bove ends his cross-examination of #KeithDavidson.
Re-direct from prosecutor #Steinglass, who reads through a transcript of Davidson's recorded discussion w/ #MichaelCohen.
Davidson is asked to clarify that Michael #Avenatti, who by then was #StormyDaniels’ attorney, was denying a number of developments.
The discussions between Davidson & Cohen, he testified, were about Avenatti efforts, not coaching Stormy's words.
#Trump #criminal #law #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
Prosecutors play a portion of a conversation w/ #KeithDavidson that #MichaelCohen secretly taped.
“Nobody’s thinking about Michael,” Cohen says, referring to himself in the 3rd person.
In the recording Cohen said #Trump hated “the fact that we did it.” Davidson clarifies this in response to the #HushMoney payment to #StormyDaniels — a key piece of evidence, that would seem to corroborate Trump’s knowledge of & involvement in the deal.
#criminal #law #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
On the call, #MichaelCohen said, "What about me? And I can’t — I can't even tell you how many times he said to me, you know, 'I hate the fact that we did it'...& my comment to him was 'but every person you spoke to said it was the right thing to do.'"
After hearing that portion, the prosecutor asked Davidson who was the "he" referred to in the phone call.
"Mr. Trump," Davidson said, “I attributed that to be a quote from Mr. #Trump."
#criminal #law #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
#Bove briefly questioned #KeithDavidson again in a recross-examination. He ended it by emphasizing that Davidson had never been in a room w/ #Trump until this week.
"You never spoke to or never were in same room until Tuesday?," Bove asks Davidson.
Davidson said that was correct.
Douglas Daus a senior forensic analyst & audio visual specialist is called as a fact witness.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
Per NBC: Daus was in Iraq 2009-2011 doing forensic data analysis; & is now a supervising computer forensic analyst in the DA’s office.
Daus, is expected to assist in verifying records.
DA #AlvinBragg is watching his employee explain the path between a device coming into the office, either through a search warrant or consent, & the actual extraction & preservation of data.
(oosh boring)
#Trump #criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
Reminder custodial witnesses like Daus — are tasked w/ verifying & entering records into evidence — because the defense refused to accept anything as basic fact.
In most trials, lawyers agree that certain exhibits should be understood to be true & factual; #Trump’s lawyers consistently refuse to do that, AT ALL, they won’t accept things like this is a table, this is a phone, thus requiring this boring fact verification process.
Daus, who extracted data from #MichaelCohen's cellphones, confirms that Cohen was texting w/ #HopeHicks, who at the time was #Trump’s spox.
A report from Daus shows that one of Cohen’s phones had 39,745 contacts!
A photo of Cohen behind the press secretary's lectern in the #WhiteHouse briefing room is displayed on video screens.
The courtroom is now hearing a recording Cohen secretly made of Trump talking.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
👀 On the recording, #MichaelCohen is talking to #Trump, it sounds like #HopeHicks in the background. Cohen is explaining they had just gotten served by The NYT to unseal records from Trump’s first divorce, from Ivana Trump.
At the end of the tape, Cohen tells Trump,
“I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend David.”
[The #NationalEnquirer’s David #Pecker]
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
👀 #MichaelCohen says he talked to #AllenWeisselberg, who was the #TrumpOrganization's CFO. Cohen references “the financing,” & #Trump interjects, “What financing?”
The call related to the #HushMoney deal made w/ #KarenMcDougal.
#Jurors are hearing Trump in the OvalOffice discussing a hush-money payment.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
Tape Transcript:
“I need to open up a company for the transfer of all that info regarding our friend, David, you know, so that — I'm going to do that right away," #MichaelCohen said. "And I've spoken to #AllenWeisselberg about how to set the whole thing up."
"So, what do we got to pay for this? 150?" #Trump asked.
"...funding. Yes. Um, & it's all the stuff," Cohen said.
"Yea, I was thinking about that," Trump said.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
"All the stuff. Because — here, you never know where that company — you never know what he’s...," #MichaelCohen said.
"Maybe he gets hit by a truck," Trump said.
#Trump then asked about financing & Cohen said, "Well, I'll have to pay something."
"Pay with cash," Trump said.
#Trump #criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
The prosecution has finished, & #Bove, the #Trump defense lawyer, is now cross-examining the forensic analyst custodial witness, Douglas Daus.
Bove asked about his credentials then about the chain of custody of #MichaelCohen’s phones. He is implying that perhaps the data on the phones — including the recording of Trump the jury just heard — might be compromised.
#Trump #criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
#Bove is implying that the DA’s office was sloppy in their data extraction & the devices could have been manipulated, asking questions about chain of custody & if the intake process was secure.
Daus was excused, but will be back to testify more tomorrow.
Court adjourned for the day.
Funny from NYT’s Maggie Haberman:
#Trump left the courtroom, squinting strangely at Lawrence O’Donnell, the MSNBC host, as he did.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
Today’s #TrumpTrial testimony 🧵
Friday, 3 May, 2024
Custodial witness, Doug Daus, a forensic analyst in the Manhattan DA’s office will continue to testify about obtaining audio from the phones of #MichaelCohen, #Trump’s former fixer.
Yesterday’s 🧵: https://masto.ai/@Nonilex/112371669216262634
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
#TrumpTrial 🧵 Thurs, May 2 charges are falsifying business records to hide #HushMoney payments in lead up to 2016 election to #influence electorate just one Trump supporter at the courthouse draped in a Trump flag. #StormyDaniels's lawyer, #KeithDavidson, to return to stand. He negotiated the hush-money payment at the center of the case, & is expected to lay out details of the deal. #criminal #law #Trump #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #KarenMcDougal
Reminder — each day’s complete court transcript is being posted on the NY courts website.
Direct link to the #TrumpTrial transcripts:
https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/
#criminal #law #Trump #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
Justice #Merchan is on the bench &addressing something that #Trump said outside court yesterday, when he claimed that he could not testify because of the #GagOrder.
The comment left many people confused, & it wasn’t clear if Trump was simply making an excuse for not testifying, or if he misspoke. But Justice Merchan is informing him that the statement was incorrect. The gag order “does not prohibit you from taking the stand” or limit what he can say, the judge says.
After Justice #Merchan explained #Trump’s freedom to speak as a #witness, he concluded, “please let your attorney know” if you have any more questions. Note that Todd #Blanche, the lead defense #lawyer, nodded along when Trump made the comments in question outside the courtroom yesterday.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
This morning, when speaking to cameras inside the courthouse, #Trump said #Merchan was trying to take away his constitutional rights.
He said his team will file a lawsuit today challenging the #GagOrder’s constitutionality
He railed against DA #AlvinBragg & Merchan, saying they're corrupt & a "disgrace to this country"&"this court."
"It's a cabal going on, by the way,"Trump said, adding they're trying to get Biden re-elected. [#ConspiracyTheory #QAnon]
#Blanche, #Trump's lawyer, is arguing about how a #WashingtonPost article should be discussed at the #TrumpTrial today.
He says he expects a witness to testify today about how the #AccessHollywood tape affected his 2016 campaign.
That appears to be a reference to #HopeHicks, who is expected to begin her testimony today.
Blanche is describing a Truth Social post made by Trump as an “alleged” post, a reminder that the defense has refused to stipulate basic facts in the case repeatedly.
The lawyers are arguing about the #AccessHollywood tape & how it can be introduced.
It’s hard to imagine anyone who isn’t familiar with what #Trump says on the tape, even the jurors.
Justice #Merchan, who has allowed evidence related to the tape, will not let it be heard or watched in court, because he thinks it would be too #prejudicial.
Merchan is displaying his judicial fairness here, despite what Trump, #RightWingMedia & #MAGA claim.
Custodial witness Doug Daus forensic analyst is sworn back in to continue testimony.
Jury returns.
Questioning resumes.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
#Bove, #Trump defense lawyer, is asking Daus questions about *disappearing* message apps on #MichaelCohen’s phone.
Daus explains how law enforcement extracts info from a person’s phone. It’s straightforward w/things like text messages, but w/ apps, like Signal, have “self-destruct” functions that delete messages in seconds.
Bove also asks Daus basic tech stuff, which may just be delay tactic by way of stretching out the trial & an attempt to distract from other testimonies.
#Bove is trying to attach tech issues to the argument that #MichaelCohen can’t be trusted, “We would have to take Michael Cohen’s word for whatever happened in October 2020 with respect to this phone, right?”
Reportedly Daus gave an expression of surprise to this question. I mean he does forensic tech analysis, he’s like: no, I say what’s there, I don’t say stuff’s there that I can’t confirm.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney
During this technical dry testimony, #Trump again appears to be sleeping.
Trump tried to spin this Thurs afternoon in a post to Truth Social:
“I simply close my beautiful blue eyes, sometimes, listen intensely, and take it ALL in!!!”
However, SEVERAL people in his world have confirmed privately that he has been sleeping in court.
.#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
Cross-examination ended
Redirect by prosecutor #Conroy.
On re-direct, Conroy is asks questions that mock #Bove’s cross, implying to the jury that Bove's line of questioning was BS.
Some questions:
“I take it you’re not a friend of Michael Cohen’s?”
“Is it unusual for a phone to be used?”
[Making fun of Bove’s basic #tech questions]
Public in the overflow room reportedly got what Conroy was doing & laughed at the questions & answers
Redirect is over & #Trump atty #Bove returns to question Daus again to clarify his cross-examination arguments, saying he was asking about “unknowns” — “gaps in the handling of this data that created risks” for tampering.
Prosecutor #Conroy returns to ask Daus another question in a 2nd re-redirect.
This is a lot of questioning & requestioning for a custodial witness.
Justice #Merchan calls a sidebar hopefully to get these folks to tighten up their questioning.
Georgia Longstreet, the next witness, is a paralegal who monitors social media postings at the Manhattan DA’s office. She will be questioned by prosecutor Rebecca #Mangold.
This is another #CustodialWitness — again only necessary because #Trump’s legal team refused to agree on basic #facts prior to trial.
“Can you briefly describe how #Twitter works?” is a question 🙄.
#AlternativeFacts #Gaslighting #Propaganda #criminal #law #TrumpTrial #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
Longstreet’s testimony, including a description of the #WaybackMachine, which archives old online postings, is a good primer on #socialmedia basics, for folks who need it, may be necessary for some #jurors, I think during voir dire one said they used a flip phone & had never “seen a podcast”
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
Longstreet testified that as part of her work, she has reviewed 5k - 10k #socialmedia posts (poor thing) about the case & saved 1,500 of them.
She added that she checks online sources multiple times a day, including news articles & posts on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook & Truth Social.
She said she takes screenshots of the posts, adds them to a folder & saves them w/a few words to identify each one.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
#Trump defense finally agreed to stipulate to a piece of #evidence — a WaPo article about the #AccessHollywood tape — w/o questioning a witness about it.
The agreement, called a stipulation, was read aloud to the jury & Justice Merchan explains the concept to the jury (for the 1st time bc Trump team hasn’t yet agreed on fact evidence hence the custodial witnesses).
Merchan tells the jury that a #stipulation is info the parties have agreed to w/o the need to call a witness.
Prosecutors play a video #Trump put out right after the #AccessHollywood tape was made public. He acknowledged in the video that he made the comments on the tape. The video statement was recorded after he had earlier refused to apologize, though his aides told him to.
“I’ve said some foolish things, but there’s a big difference between the words & actions of other people,” Trump says in the video, then he attacks Hillary & Bill Clinton.
Nonilex
Kevin Leecaster
Jenny Fx