Former bodyguard Keith Schiller (left) and President Donald Trump (right). Image via Nicholas Kamm/AFP.
High drama unfolded Monday in Donald Trump's criminal case as prosecutors asked to have a C-SPAN video admitted into evidence that they said would prove a key piece of Michael Cohen's testimony.
Cohen testified last week that he spoke to Trump's security guard, Keith Schiller, on Oct. 24 about the status of the hush money payment to actress and director Stormy Daniels and that Schiller put Trump on the line.
But in cross-examination, Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanche, questioned whether that was the truth — and so far as to exclaim that Cohen was a "liar" in court.
To confirm that Cohen could have spoken to Trump because Schiller and Trump were together on Oct. 24, the prosecutors asked to admit a C-SPAN video showing the two together. Judge Juan Merchan rejected the admission because the C-SPAN witness who had previously come before the court had not spoken directly about that video.
So the prosecution pushed to bring him back. Experts called the revelation of the video, which came during Cohen's cross-examination, "huge."
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So, prosecutors asked that he be permitted to return to authenticate the evidence.
Trump's lawyers objected to bringing back the C-SPAN witness, saying, "That's not the way a trial is supposed to work!"
Prosecutors explained that they didn't anticipate Trump's lawyers calling Cohen a liar about the phone call details, and that they now must provide evidence that the testimony is plausible.
Blanche complained, "This is the fifth or sixth time they've run out of witnesses," stating that the prosecution had been "ready to go" — meaning they were set to rest their case.
"That's just wrong," said prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, saying they had expected to rest after Cohen had finished his testimony.
After a short recess, prosecutors said the C-SPAN employee can be in court at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
See the full incident unfolding below or at the link here.
Trump's lawyer freaks out as prosecutors ask to admit proof Trump was with body guard www.youtube.com
How prosecutors were able to get CSPAN video into evidence that freaked out Trump's lawyers www.youtube.com
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