Trump trial resumes Friday, with key witness Michael Cohen expected to testify Monday
get the free appFormer President Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York is resuming Friday, and the key witness in the case, his former attorney Michael Cohen, is expected to testify Monday.
Cohen's testimony indicates the prosecution is reaching the home stretch of its case, nearly a month after this trial began. He's expected to testify that Trump understood that records related to reimbursement checks to Cohen would be falsified in order to cover up the fact that they were tied to the purchase of Stormy Daniels' story.
This week's testimony seesawed between sex and bookkeeping. Thursday saw the conclusion of a furious back and forth between prosecutors and Trump's lawyers, who dueled with adult film star Stormy Daniels on the stand for a second day.
The defense accused her of "making up" details of an alleged 2006 sexual encounter between her and Trump. Daniels stood by her account.
Prosecutors elicited testimony that included both graphic descriptions of the encounter and minutiae about the hotel suite where Daniels said it occurred.
Trump's lawyers also accused Daniels of using the story to generate personal income and fame, which she denied. Daniels was paid $130,000 for the rights to her story by Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen, days before the 2016 presidential election.
Prosecutors have charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to alleged reimbursements to Cohen for the payment. Trump has entered a not guilty plea and denies having a sexual encounter with Daniels.
After Daniels finished testifying Thursday, prosecutors called a Trump Organization bookkeeper and a former White House executive assistant. Those witnesses were used to introduce evidence that showed how Trump personally signed his checks — sent by Trump Organization staff to the White House — while he was president.
Prosecutors have not said who they'll call Friday after former White House aide Madeleine Westerhout concludes her testimony.
AT&T employee briefly takes the stand to testify about Cohen phone records
Daniel Dixon, an AT&T compliance officer, was called to the stand to introduce phone records subpoenaed by prosecutors.
They're call and data logs tied to at least one of Cohen's phones.
On cross examination, Trump attorney Emil Bove, continued an effort he began earlier in this trial seeking to undermine the credibility of evidence seized from Cohen's phones.
"There's a lot of data here, but the data also has limits, right," Bove asked shortly before concluding his cross-examination.
Trump is in the courtroom
Before the court was in session, Trump was speaking in an animated manner with his lawyer, Todd Blanche, and looking at papers with him that appeared to show printouts of tweets or Truth Social posts.
The former president was pointing things out on the papers to Blanche, as they whispered intently. Then, he put them down and sharply straightened the front of his navy suit. Trump is also wearing a red tie and white shirt. He looks glum this morning.
Merchan rejects Trump attempt to subpoena New York prosecutor
Judge Juan Merchan has rejected Trump's effort to subpoena former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, granting a motion to quash it.
Pomerantz worked on the Trump investigation in New York before writing a memoir criticizing Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg. Merchan ruled that Trump's subpoena was "far too broad" and said it amounted "to an improper fishing expedition."
Madeleine Westerhout returns to the stand
Trump attorney Susan Necheles was in the middle of questioning Westerhout Thursday when proceedings drew to a close.
Necheles asked Westerhout about her experience working for Trump, who Westerhout called, "a really good boss."
That's a tact the defense team has taken with several of Trump's former employees, eliciting often glowing testimony of their time working for the defendant.
"He never made me feel like I didn't belong there," Westerhout said.
Necheles also continued a defense theme of eliciting testimony from former employees about Trump's relationship with family members. Westerhout said he's "very close" to them.
Michael Cohen expected to testify in Trump trial Monday
The key witness against former President Donald Trump, his former lawyer Michael Cohen, is expected to be called to the stand Monday, sources tell CBS News.
Cohen's testimony marks the home stretch of the prosecution's case, nearly a month after this trial began. Cohen is expected to testify that Trump understood that records related to reimbursement checks to Cohen would be falsified in order to cover up the fact that they were tied to the purchase of Daniels' story.
Many of the exhibits and witnesses called by prosecutors were geared toward bolstering Cohen before Trump's attorneys attack his credibility. Defense attorneys are expected to paint Cohen as a scorned former employee who has previously lied under oath.