Tomorrow, closing arguments are set to begin in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial. Over the past five weeks, prosecutors have presented their case by calling 20 witnesses to the stand, while the defense has called only 2. The focus of the prosecution has been on 11 invoices, 12 vouchers, and 11 checks, totaling 34 documents that Trump is accused of falsifying. These documents include reimbursement for the $130,000 hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels.
During the upcoming closing arguments, both sides will make their final appeals to the jury. The prosecution will emphasize that the witnesses have connected the dots, showing Trump's motivation to conceal the payments to Daniels during the 2016 election. They argue that Trump's actions were aimed at protecting his political campaign's finances.
On the other hand, the defense is expected to counter that the evidence presented by the prosecution is circumstantial and insufficient to prove Trump's guilt. They are likely to challenge the credibility of key witness Michael Cohen, who testified for several days.
The mechanics of the closing arguments will involve the defense presenting first, followed by the prosecution. The proceedings may extend throughout the day, as the judge has not imposed specific time limits. Following the summations, the jury will receive instructions on the legal standards they must apply in reaching a verdict.
Once deliberations commence, the jury will determine Trump's fate based on the evidence and arguments presented. The duration of deliberations is uncertain and could potentially extend beyond Wednesday. Meanwhile, the defense team is also dealing with a separate request for a gag order in relation to another criminal case involving classified documents in Florida.
