In a controversial closing argument, Donald Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche told jurors they couldn’t convict the former president based on the testimony of the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen, whom he called the “M.V.P. of liars” and the “human embodiment of reasonable doubt.”
Blanche faced a rebuke from Judge Juan Merchan when he told jurors they couldn’t send Trump “to prison” based on Cohen’s words, with the judge noting that a guilty verdict does not necessarily mean prison time.
The defense attorney presented ten specific areas where he believed there was reasonable doubt to find Trump not guilty, including the lack of evidence that Trump knew about the invoices or intended to defraud anyone.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, in his lengthy closing argument, attempted to humanize Cohen, acknowledging his anger at being the only one to face consequences for his role in the alleged conspiracy. Steinglass argued that the prosecution only needed to prove the existence of false business records used as part of a conspiracy and that Trump knew about them.
As the trial neared its conclusion, the Biden campaign held a press conference outside the courthouse featuring actor Robert DeNiro and two former U.S. Capitol Police officers who were overwhelmed by the mob at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The Trump campaign followed suit, calling the case “complete garbage” and politically motivated.
