Now in America: Third week of Trump hush money trial testimony wraps up

In the wake of salacious testimony from porn actor Stormy Daniels, prosecutors in Donald Trump's hush money trial narrowed their focus to checks and phone records Friday as they laid the groundwork for jurors to hear from the star witness: Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney.

As the third week of testimony drew to a close, the case that ultimately hinges on record-keeping returned to deeply technical testimony — a sharp contrast from Daniels' dramatic, if not downright seamy, account of an alleged sexual encounter with Trump that riveted jurors earlier this week. Trump denies they ever had sex.

The prosecution could rest its case by the end of next week, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said.

Prosecutors have been building up their case ahead of crucial testimony from Cohen, Trump’s onetime fixer-turned-foe who arranged the $130,000 payout to Daniels — he says at Trump’s direction.

Cohen is expected to take the stand Monday, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The people could not discuss the matter publicly and and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

Defense attorneys will argue that the disbarred lawyer who served prison time and has become one of Trump's fiercest critics is out to get the former president and cannot be believed.

Jurors on Friday saw social media posts showing that Trump initially praised Cohen after the then-lawyer came under federal investigation. Trump started bashing him after Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign-finance violations, along with other crimes, and claimed Trump directed him to arrange the payment for Daniels. Trump was never charged with any crime related to that federal investigation.

READ MORE: https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/nation-world/trump-trial-third-week-ending/507-86d1f641-aff1-4462-be59-4e88d38618a5

Видео Now in America: Third week of Trump hush money trial testimony wraps up канала WKYC Channel 3