On Monday, former President Donald Trump had what defense attorney David Oscar Markus described as a “devastating day” in his Manhattan criminal trial. The trial, which revolves around alleged hush money payments made by Trump to former adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016, continues to captivate national attention.
Markus appeared on CNN’s Trump Hush Money Trial special to analyze the events of the day. Despite high hopes, the defense was dealt a blow with the testimony of Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer. “It should have been a positive day for the defense ending with this terrible witness Michael Cohen, and now was just an awful day for the defense,” said Markus.
One of the key witnesses for the defense was Robert Costello, a former legal adviser to Michael Cohen. However, his testimony did not go as planned, leading to a tense confrontation with New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan.
According to Newsweek’s Katherine Fung, who was present in the courtroom, Costello’s frustration became evident. After a sustained objection, Costello exclaimed, “Jeez!” This drew a sharp response from Justice Merchan, who demanded an explanation. The tension escalated further as Costello blew “raspberries” after additional objections were made. A break was called, and the jury was asked to step out while Justice Merchan addressed the witness.
Merchan emphasized the importance of proper decorum in his court, admonishing Costello for his outbursts. “As a witness on the stand, if you don’t like my ruling, you don’t say ‘jeez!’ and then you don’t say, ‘strike it’ because I’m the only one who can strike testimony in the court. If you don’t like my ruling, you don’t give my side eye or roll your eyes,” Merchan explained.
During his appearance on CNN, defense attorney David Oscar Markus shared his perspective on the trial. Markus highlighted that the defense took a significant gamble by calling Costello to testify, and it did not pay off. He praised Justice Merchan for running a smooth trial but acknowledged that the defense felt restricted by the judge’s rulings.
“I can see why the defense is frustrated, [but] you can’t show that to the judge and the jury, though, or it’s gonna be really bad,” Markus explained.
In a surprising turn of events, the defense announced on Tuesday that it would rest its case without having former President Donald Trump testify. Newsweek‘s Katherine Fung reported that Justice Merchan informed the jury that summations could take the entire day. The trial is set to continue next Tuesday, where attorneys will deliver their closing arguments.
