Former President Trump's New York criminal trial is currently in the spotlight as jurors are set to resume deliberations today. The 12 jurors will reconvene at 9:30 AM for their second day of deliberations after leaving the courthouse without reaching a verdict yesterday.
During their deliberations, the jury submitted two notes to Judge Mershawn, requesting various items, including testimonies from David Pecker and Michael Cohen regarding a meeting they had with Donald Trump in 2015. Prosecutors allege that during this meeting, there was discussion of a conspiracy to manipulate the election by suppressing negative stories about Trump.
In addition to the testimonies, jurors also asked the judge to review the jury instructions once again to ensure clarity in their deliberations. Former President Trump is required to remain inside the courthouse while the jury is deliberating, as per the trial protocol.
Trump expressed his frustration with the trial to reporters, stating that there is confusion surrounding the alleged crime as it has not been clearly defined. He called for an immediate end to the trial, questioning the legitimacy of the charges against him.
Furthermore, Trump urged the New York Court of Appeals to expedite their review of his gag order, which prohibits him from discussing any individuals involved in the case, including witnesses.
Meanwhile, Senator Ted Cruz criticized the trial, labeling it as politically motivated. Cruz suggested that any potential conviction would be overturned on appeal due to the alleged disregard for constitutional rights in New York.
Former President Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records and has maintained his plea of not guilty throughout the trial proceedings.
