Stormy Daniels can testify at Donald Trump hush-money trial, judge rules
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In a recent development, former President Donald Trump has lost a bid to block key witnesses, including former porn star Stormy Daniels, from testifying at his upcoming hush-money criminal trial. The trial involves allegations that Trump paid Daniels $130,000 through his ex-attorney Michael Cohen to keep her from publicly revealing an alleged affair just before the 2016 presidential election.
Trump, who is the first former president to face criminal charges, has pleaded not guilty to the felony counts against him in this case. He has vehemently denied any affair with Stormy Daniels. However, his legal team sought to prevent Daniels, as well as Cohen and ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal, from testifying in court.
Judge Juan Merchan, presiding over the case, rejected Trump’s bid to exclude these key witnesses. He stated that their testimonies are crucial to understanding the events surrounding the case and provide necessary background information for the jury. This decision comes as a blow to Trump’s legal defense strategy, as these witnesses could potentially provide damaging evidence against him.
Cohen, who is currently serving a three-year jail sentence for various charges including making an excessive campaign contribution at the request of Trump, will be allowed to testify in court. Similarly, McDougal, who also alleged an affair with Trump, has been granted permission to testify as well. These testimonies could further complicate Trump’s defense in the trial.
The former president is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records related to the reimbursement of Cohen for the payment to Daniels. Additionally, he has been accused of denying an affair with McDougal. Trump’s legal team has criticized Cohen as a “liar” and argued that McDougal’s testimony would be prejudicial. However, Judge Merchan dismissed these arguments, stating that there is no basis for excluding these witnesses based on credibility concerns.
The trial, originally scheduled to begin sooner, has been delayed until at least mid-April due to the late disclosure of evidence to Trump’s legal team. This delay gives both sides more time to prepare their cases and gather necessary information for the trial proceedings.
Stormy Daniels, who has been at the center of this legal battle, previously expressed the overwhelming media scrutiny she faced when reports of the alleged affair surfaced. Despite having a thick skin from her work in the adult film industry, Daniels described the initial media attention as vicious and unrelenting.
In a separate legal matter, Trump’s lawyers have struggled to secure a bond covering a $454 million civil fraud judgment against him. The former president has faced difficulties in finding companies willing to provide the full bond amount needed for his appeal. This setback adds to the legal challenges Trump is currently facing in multiple court cases.
Overall, the decision to allow key witnesses like Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen, and Karen McDougal to testify at Trump’s hush-money trial could significantly impact the outcome of the case. Their testimonies could provide crucial evidence against the former president and further complicate his defense strategy. As the trial progresses, more details are expected to emerge regarding Trump’s involvement in the alleged hush-money payment and his denials of any wrongdoing.
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