2024-05-13 22:06:49
- Author, Kayla Epstein
- Role, BBC News – New York
-
May 13, 2024
Last updated 7 hours ago
Michael Cohen, the main witness in the trial of former US President Donald Trump, said that the latter ordered him to pay a sum to buy the silence of a pornographic actress, out of fear for the progress of his electoral campaign in 2016.
Cohen told jurors Monday that Trump, then a presidential candidate, was so angry because he thought Cohen had settled the matter five years earlier.
Cohen later recalled Trump telling him, “I thought you fixed it…you should.” »
Cohen went on in court to say that Trump had ordered him to prolong negotiations as much as possible “until the election is passed.” If I win, it will have no effect, because I will become president, but if I lose, I don’t care.”
For his part, Trump turned away from Cohen as the latter testified in court.
image source, Reuters/Jane Rosenberg
Comment on the photo, A drawing of Trump as Cohen testified in court Monday
Michael Cohen is considered the main prosecution witness in the trial of former US President Donald Trump, which is currently taking place in Manhattan.
Observers believe that Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, could be the weak point in this trial.
Cohen placed the secret payments of adult film actress Stormy Daniels at the center of the case against which Trump is currently on trial.
Prosecutors accuse Trump of illegally returning those funds to Cohen. The latter’s testimony is therefore extremely important for the prosecution.
But outside the courtroom, on podcasts, on television and on social media, Cohen hasn’t said exactly what the prosecution expects.
On the X platform (formerly Twitter), Cohen mocked Trump, describing him as “sleeping Donald,” and he also used an “inappropriate” nickname for the former president.
Cohen shared sarcastic photos showing Trump wearing the orange prison uniform, and Cohen also mocked the issue of Trump’s imprisonment on the TikTok platform.
Cohen’s actions provoked Judge Juan Merchan, who in turn asked the prosecution on Friday to warn Cohen against continuing to comment on the case.
Speaking to the BBC, Jeffrey Levin, one of Cohen’s lawyers, said he had no doubt that his client would comply with the court’s instructions.
These suspicious behaviors on Cohen’s part, coupled with his criminal record, open the door for Trump’s defense to cast doubt on the credibility of this key witness, Cohen.
Comment on the photo, During his run for president in 2016, Cohen usually appeared alongside Trump.
Lance Fletcher, a former Manhattan prosecutor who now practices criminal defense, says Cohen “is a real headache; he offers all the things the prosecution wants that a witness doesn’t offer. He has all kinds of problems credibility”.
In 2018, Cohen was convicted of eight criminal charges, including tax crimes, fraud and campaign finance violations. This latter accusation itself concerns the payment of money to buy the silence of pornographic film actress Daniels so that she would not reveal any relationship she had with Trump.
For his part, Trump faces charges of falsifying records related to the $130,000 compensation paid to Cohen for buying the silence of Daniels, who claims to have had sex with Trump in 2006, which Trump denies unless he is proven guilty.
In his opening argument, Todd Blanche, head of Trump’s defense team, attempted to challenge Cohen’s position as a witness, saying Cohen was still “obsessed” with Trump to this day, and that he “foams and froths” against the former president. .
“I assure you it’s incredible,” Blanche added.
Trump faces four criminal cases that could affect his bid to return to the White House. In his three other criminal cases, the former president faces charges of misusing classified information and trying to overturn his 2020 election loss to his Democratic rival, Joe Biden.
Trump has described all criminal charges against him as a plot by Biden’s Democrats to undermine his presidential campaign.
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