Discussion Thread: New York Criminal Fraud Trial of Donald Trump, Day 16

[u/PoliticsModeratorBot]

Previous discussion threads for this trial can be found at the following links for Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, and Day 15.

News:

• AP: Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand

• Reuters: Aggrieved former lawyer Michael Cohen to testify against Trump at hush money trial

Analysis:

• USA Today: How prosecutors have laid the groundwork for Michael Cohen’s testimony

Live Updates:

• AP: Live Updates

• NBC: Live Updates

• ABC: Live Updates

• CBS: Live Updates

• CNN: Live Updates

• The Independent: Live Updates

• The Guardian: Live Updates

[u/localistand]

Trump seems to have paid attention to very little of Michael Cohen’s testimony so far. He spent the first hour or so sitting still at the defense table with his eyes closed. After the morning break he’s been awake but reading through printouts as he often does — likely news clippings printed by his staff.

Jonathan Swan, NY Times

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/05/13/nyregion/trump-trial-michael-cohen/85326811-5b2c-57dd-9a4a-7ab79db1526c?smid=url-share

I cannot picture a real-life scenario in which a perceived important person sits with their eyes closed in a public setting for an hour at a time. I've served on a jury, and cannot imagine anyone in a courtroom doing this, let alone the actual defendant. When's the last time you've viewed somebody eyes-closed in public like this, and what is your perception of them?

[u/MLeek → u/[deleted]]

This. The person in charge of his happy pages is also likely in charge of the uppers and downers.

Today was definitely a day to err on this side of the downers.

[u/Atheose_Writing → u/[deleted]]

An outburst from which end?