Witness Robert Costello was scolded by Judge Juan Mercan in Manhattan state court during the criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump, who is accused of falsifying business records to conceal a 2016 sex scandal involving porn star Trump. Tommy Daniels paid to remain silent American city, May 20, 2024, court sketch.
Jane Rosenberg | Reuters
The man who was perhaps former President Donald Trump’s most important defense witness and the final witness in New York’s criminal hush-money trial resumed testimony Tuesday, a day after a judge dismissed him for disrespect on the witness stand. Blame him for his behavior.
witness, Criminal Defense Attorney Robert CostelloJudge Juan Merchan received a stern warning Monday afternoon for glaring at the judge and muttering contemptuously when Merchan sided with prosecutors’ objections.
“I would like to remind you that your current behavior is contemptuous,” Merchant told Costello after he dismissed most of the public and media from the courtroom after having had enough of the former federal prosecutor’s antics.
“If you look at me one more time, I’m going to pull you off the stand,” Merchian warned, according to a transcript of the verbal assault.
Costello is expected to resume testifying in early 2018 about his dealings with Trump’s then-fixer and personal attorney, Michael Cohen, after the FBI raided Cohen’s home and offices in a criminal investigation. That includes a $130,000 payment Daniels made to porn star Stormy two years ago.
Cohen said he paid Daniels to keep the 2006 one-time tryst with Trump secret so she wouldn’t hurt his chances in the 2016 presidential election.
Trump has denied having sex with Daniels and a Playboy model who each received hush money from a supermarket tabloid publisher friendly to him, and Trump is accused in a criminal case of forgery and repaying Cohen Business records related to payments.
Trump’s lawyers used Costello’s testimony to try to undermine Cohen’s credibility with jurors.
Jurors are expected to hear closing arguments on May 28 and may begin deliberations that day.
This is developing news. Please check back for updates.
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