Judge Juan Merchan reiterated to the jurors the importance of the limiting instructions he provided throughout the trial. These instructions were given to guide the jurors on how to consider certain pieces of evidence for specific purposes.
One of the key points Judge Merchan emphasized was the non-prosecution agreement involving American Media Inc. (AMI). He clarified that this agreement should only be used to evaluate the credibility of David Pecker, the CEO of AMI, and not as evidence of the defendant's guilt or innocence.
Merchan stressed that the purpose of introducing the non-prosecution agreement and the settlement with the Federal Election Commission was to assist the jury in understanding Pecker's credibility and the context of related events. He explicitly stated that these agreements should be considered solely for that purpose and not as proof of the defendant's guilt.
Furthermore, Judge Merchan addressed the issue of Michael Cohen's guilty plea to campaign finance violations. He explained that this information could be used to assess Cohen's credibility and provide background information on subsequent events. However, he cautioned the jurors against using Cohen's plea as a basis for determining the defendant's guilt.
In conclusion, Judge Merchan reminded the jurors that the limiting instructions were crucial in ensuring a fair and impartial evaluation of the evidence presented during the trial. By clarifying the specific purposes for which certain pieces of evidence could be considered, he aimed to guide the jurors in reaching a just verdict based on the facts of the case.
