Former President Trump's New York criminal trial is now in
the final stretch of both the prosecution and the defense
rested their cases yesterday before attorneys got heeded over jury
instructions.
Because, again, that part of the journey now is what
matters most until you get to the verdict,
of course. The judge said he hopes to send those
final instructions to attorneys tomorrow so they can prepare for
closing arguments on Tuesday after the holiday.
Some legal experts say the prosecution still has not shown
any evidence that the former president committed a crime.
Former Assistant District Attorney Phil Holloway was with me yesterday.
They're all going all in to get Trump every chance
they get,
whether they have a valid legal claim or not.
It doesn't make sense to me as an attorney how
we can have a judge who's supposed to be calling
balls and strikes,
but who has their thumbs so much on the scale.
In fact, he's standing on the scale,
tipping in in favor of Alvin Bragg,
standing on the scale That judge,
national correspondent Brian Yennis, is live for us at the
New York State Supreme Court.
Brian
Harris. Well, Speaking of Judge Merchant,
basically, you know, the House Republican Conference chair,
Elise Stefanik, has formally filed an ethics complaint with the
New York State Commission on Judiciary Conduct.
And that complaint alleges that Judge Juan Merchant should recuse
himself because he has a conflict of interest because his
daughter serves as president of a group that represents Democratic
Party politicians and political action committees.
That same Commission, by the way,
they dismissed a prior complaint against Judge Merchant for donating
$35 to Democrats. Nonetheless, New York Congresswoman Stefanik,
a possible Trump VP pick,
argues that a guilty verdict in this case under Judge
Merchant will lead to millions more fundraising dollars for Democrats
benefiting
Merchant's Daughter's organization. The complaint reads in part,
given Judge Merchant's Daughter's clientele and the vast sums of
money that these individuals have raised and will continue to
raise off of President Trump's charges,
Judge Merchant's daughter stands to benefit the more legally imperiled
President Trump is.
Trump said yesterday. Judge Merchant is,
quote, complicated and conflicted.
It should be dismissed before you even have a
verdict. But we
have a judge that's extremely,
let's say, complicated, but let's also say conflicted.
It's frustrating situation. Nobody's ever said anything quite like it.
Now, both sides argued in front of Judge Merchant yesterday
about what should or should not be in those final
jury instructions.
As you noted, Harris Merchant says he plans on having
a final draft of those jury instructions sometime tomorrow.
Both sides will have a chance to rebuttal those instructions,
but not in person. It'll have to be a written
filing.
There are closing arguments on Tuesday next week.
Jury deliberations beginning as early as Wednesday and tomorrow.
By the way, the former president is set to have
a campaign event in of thousands in the South Bronx
with no court until next Tuesday.
Yeah, that's right. That's going to be really interesting.
Wonder if Biden's watching. He will be.