Playbook: “We’d be shocked to see a verdict before lunchtime, but court watchers think this all could move very quickly. If it’s not over today, very few are expecting it to stretch past the week’s end, given the jury’s eagerness yesterday to wrap up arguments and start deliberations.”
“Speaking of signals from the jury: Chances of an actual acquittal seem remote for Trump and his legal team. But they are more confident that the former president could avoid conviction by another avenue: a hung jury resulting in a mistrial.”
Harry Litman: “There’s one juror that people are worried about and I share the worry. Can’t identify her or him per judge’s orders but seems less engaged and slightly irritable.”
The jury has the case…….
We wait…..
Jury Deliberations Begin In Trump Trial
“For the past five weeks, the 12 unidentified jurors in Donald Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial have listened to opening statements, witness testimony, closing arguments and the judge’s final instructions,” the New York Times reports.
“Now is the time for their deliberations to begin. The jurors will retreat behind closed doors on Wednesday and start to debate whether the first president to be criminally prosecuted has committed felony crimes.”
ABC News: Judge tells jury they can’t convict based on Michael Cohen alone.
Jury deliberations are underway Wednesday in former President Trump’s New York criminal trial.
Why it matters: The outcome reached by a dozen New Yorkers will determine whether the former president and 2024 presidential candidate is a convicted felon.
Judge Juan Merchan instructed the jury to “set aside” their personal opinions about Trump as they consider the evidence in the case and to avoid speculating about Trump’s possible sentence, the CNN reported.
“If [the] people satisfy their burden of proof you must find the defendant guilty,” Merchan said, explaining that it is the prosecution’s job to prove Trump’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Merchan also warned the jury not to convict Trump solely on the basis of the testimony of Trump’s onetime fixer Michael Cohen, because Cohen was an accomplice. However, they can use it if they feel it is corroborated by other evidence.
What they’re saying: Trump spoke to reporters as jury deliberations began, blasting the charges as “rigged” and calling Merchan “conflicted” and corrupt, per a court pool report.
“Mother Theresa could not beat these charges,” Trump added.
In a Truth Social post, Trump claimed he didn’t “even know what the charges are” in the case, in which he faces 34 counts. “I am entitled to specificity just like anyone else. There is no crime!” he added.
Between the lines: Deliberations could take several days due to the complexity of the case and the number of counts.
If the jury can’t reach a unanimous decision, a mistrial will be declared…..
More…
The verdict in this case will have zero impact on the presidential race.
I’m not quite so sure, Jack.
Several polls have asked voters if a guilty verdict would make them less likely to vote for Trump, and somewhere between 10 and 20 percent have said yes.
Ok……
The jury has been released for the day.,.,
They reconvene at 9:30am tomorrow
They want a reading of the instructions…..
I’m no expert but my feeling is some worry fot defense, in a category read of things and the DA that there is no straight out guilty.,,,
Right out i see a guilty verdict coming,,,,
I’m with U DSD…….
A conviction SHOULD cost Trump votes from Not Trumper’s and Indies
MAGA types will follow Trump off a cliff
Yea Jack
Chris Cillizza
A smart lawyer told me this today: The jury will not come back with a super-quick verdict because they are acutely aware of the attention the Trump trial has drawn and don’t want to be blasted for making a rushed or hasty decision.
Thought that was insightful.
The most recent NPR poll (on PBS Newshour) shows that a guilty or not guilty verdict doesn’t seem to affect the net voter response. Either verdict seems to move some voters in both directions.
We’ll see….
I’m on record here as says the media fallout COUL:D move Democrats, Indies and Never Trumper’s TO Biden…..
NOT a ‘Wave’….
Just a slide….
How long will it take mainstream America to normalise a convicted felon AS PRESIDENT?
Since you’re generally wrong in your “ predictions?”
Yes, we will “ see.”
I’m agreeing with DSD…….
Anybody else want to chime in on this?
Scott?
Keith?
CG?
He, he, he
Even Daniel?
I’m not sure how anyone could “agree” with me, since I cited one set of polls suggesting a conviction (or acquittal) would affect the the net margin of Trump voters versus Biden voters, but the latest poll I cited indicates the opposite (no significant effect).
‘Either verdict seems to move some voters in both directions.’…….