'Huge win for prosecution': Legal expert reveals key ruling in Trump's hush money trial
May 21, 2024
Judge Juan Merchan made a decision about jury instructions Tuesday afternoon that could land Manhattan prosecutors a major win in former President Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial, one legal analyst and former prosecutor argued on CNN.
Trump is facing 34 charges of falsifying business records which Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg contends was done to hide hush money payments ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Both the prosecution and the defence wrapped up their cases on Tuesday afternoon, leaving the debate over jury instructions and closing statements.
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Former federal prosecutor Shan Wu said on CNN Tuesday night that Merchan delivered Bragg and his team of prosecutors a "huge win" by allowing broad instructions to the jury.
"The judge says the jurors don't have to be unanimous as to which of the crimes," Wu told anchor Jake Tapper.
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Wu told Tapper that he felt Merchan's decision Tuesday could prove massively important as the jury deliberates their verdict.
"The jury instruction on this point is so critical," Wu said. "It's possible the judge may do a special verdict, meaning checkbox, which of these crimes, tax, election fraud, federal election campaign finance."
"The more broad the instructions are from the judge," Wu continued, "the easier it is for them to make that connection evidentiary."
Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
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