As jurors begin their second day of deliberations in former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush money case Thursday, sources say Trump’s legal team feels that the longer the jury deliberates, the more they’re hoping for a hung jury.
The former president is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election. Trump has denied all wrongdoing.
Trump’s lawyers see the requests the jury has made to rehear testimony from the case as a mixed bag, the sources said — not positive news that jurors wanted to rehear former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker’s testimony, but at the same time feeling optimistic that jurors requested portions of Cohen’s transcript.
The jury requested to rehear Pecker’s testimony about a June 2016 phone call with Trump regarding the tabloid’s response to a potential story about former Playboy model Karen McDougal’s alleged year-long affair with Trump — which he has denied — as well as Pecker’s decision about allocating the rights to her story.
They also requested to hear both Pecker and Cohen’s testimony about the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting where the plan to catch and kill negative stories originated.
Former President Donald Trump speak to members of the media at Manhattan criminal court in New York, May 29, 2024.
Yuki Iwamura/via Reuters
Trump’s lawyers are looking for any indication that the jury will probe issues surrounding Cohen’s credibility, which cuts to the core of their defense, according to the sources.
Similar Stories
“We want chaos … we want evidence of strong disagreements,” one person close to Trump’s legal team said regarding the jury, signaling their hope that at least one juror will raise doubts about the theories presented by the prosecution.
While it wouldn’t be surprising to Trump’s team for there to be a verdict Thursday, their hope is that deliberations will extend into next week as an indication there could be serious doubts among jury members that could result in a hung jury, the sources said.
In the ongoing legal battle surrounding former President Donald Trump’s involvement in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, sources close to the case have revealed that lawyers on both sides are hoping for a hung jury after long deliberations.
The case, which has been making headlines for years, centers around allegations that Trump directed his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to make payments to Daniels in order to keep her quiet about an alleged affair she had with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied the affair and any wrongdoing in the matter, but the payments have raised questions about potential campaign finance violations.
As the trial has progressed, both the prosecution and defense have presented compelling arguments and evidence to support their respective positions. However, with no clear-cut verdict in sight, sources say that lawyers on both sides are now pinning their hopes on a hung jury.
A hung jury occurs when the jurors in a trial are unable to reach a unanimous decision on the defendant’s guilt or innocence. In such cases, the judge may declare a mistrial, and the case may be retried at a later date with a new jury. While a hung jury may not result in a definitive outcome for either party, it can provide an opportunity for further negotiation or settlement outside of the courtroom.
For the prosecution, a hung jury could mean another chance to present their case and potentially secure a conviction against Trump. On the other hand, for the defense, a hung jury could be seen as a victory, as it would prevent a guilty verdict and potentially open the door for a more favorable resolution for their client.
As the deliberations continue, the legal teams involved in the hush money case are closely monitoring the jury’s progress and preparing for all possible outcomes. While the prospect of a hung jury may offer some relief to both sides, it also prolongs the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s legal troubles and keeps the case in the public eye.
In the coming days, as the jury continues to deliberate, all eyes will be on the courtroom as the fate of Trump and his involvement in the hush money case hangs in the balance. Stay tuned for updates as this high-profile trial unfolds.
