this post was submitted on 26 Oct 2023
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Donald Trump swept out of his $250 million New York civil fraud trial on Wednesday, a move that apparently left his Secret Service detail scrambling to follow him and those who remained in the courtroom, including his own lawyers, stunned.

Trump’s dramatic exit was made as Michael Cohen, his former personal attorney, was testifying on the stand. Under cross-examination, Cohen denied that Trump had ever asked him to inflate numbers on his personal statement—standing by his 2019 congressional testimony.

Trump and one of his lawyers, Alina Habba, “threw up their arms” at this, according to CNN. Another Trump attorney then asked Judge Arthur Engoron for a directed verdict on the case, given Cohen’s status as a key witness.

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[–] IHeartBadCode@kbin.social 108 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Break down of what's being said:

Under cross-examination, Cohen denied that Trump had ever asked him to inflate numbers on his personal statement—standing by his 2019 congressional testimony

Cohen who was Trump's personal attorney indicated when being asked by Trump's lawyers (cross-examined as Cohen was called by prosecutor), that he never was asked directly to inflate the numbers.

Trump and one of his lawyers, Alina Habba, “threw up their arms” at this, according to CNN. Another Trump attorney then asked Judge Arthur Engoron for a directed verdict on the case, given Cohen’s status as a key witness.

Trump's attorney on this revelation, requested a directed verdict. A directed verdict is asked for when there is no legally sufficient evidentiary basis that a jury could reasonable find some other verdict. Basically, Trump's lawyers asked to have a ruling in Trump's favor because they felt that given Cohen's testimony, there's no other way a jury could find any other verdict than one in favor of Trump.

“Absolutely denied,” Engoron replied, citing evidence “all over the place” supporting New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case against Trump

The Judge, Hon. Engoron, here denies the directed verdict pretty emphatically.

The former president was “visibly angry” as he immediately stood up and stormed out, CNBC reported, eliciting gasps from the room

And on the news of the Judge so strongly denying that idea from his Lawyers, Trump stands up and leaves.

Cohen later clarified on the stand that Trump didn’t directly order him to inflate numbers. “He speaks like a mob boss,” Cohen said.

And this has been a consistent thing for Cohen. Where Trump did not explicitly indicate things, but did so implicitly. With Cohen being an attorney, the difference between explicit and implicit is pretty important, so he would absolutely make that distinction in his testimony, as he has before.

The diva moment wasn’t Trump’s first headline-making headache of the day. Less than an hour earlier, Engoron had slapped him with a $10,000 penalty for violating an order not to talk about court staff

LOL. Judges are fun like that. However, the limited gag order Trump is under is actually being questioned by the ACLU. Which they make a good point. The Judge used very broad terms in the "limited" aspect of the gag order and the ACLU has standing to ask the Judge to clarify those terms. That said, the $10,000 fine will likely be part of that challenge form the ACLU. So he may not have to pay it ultimately or maybe he will, we just have to see.

The decision came after the judge put Trump on the witness stand for about a minute, asking him under oath to explain comments he’d made to reporters earlier that day, complaining about a “very partisan judge with a person who’s very partisan sitting alongside him, perhaps even much more partisan than he is.”

I can tell this Judge doesn't really like Trump as a person in their court.

Trump insisted he had been referring to Cohen, who’d already been on the stand—on Engoron’s other side—at that point in the day

LOL. No your Honor! MY hand was absolutely NOT in the cookie jar, I had a cookie for breakfast and I put some leftover cookie in my pocket. WTF?! C'mon, you telling me that was the best he could lie?

The judge said he didn’t find this explanation “credible,” and handed down the fine.

I tell you. Those damn cookies get you every time.

[–] JustZ@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

The distinction between implicit and explicit is not relevant.

Cohen testified that Trump would assign whatever values he wanted to his properties. Obviously there would not be a directed verdict in this scenario. His lawyer is probably thought that argument was going to be a home run. They are morons.

[–] PorradaVFR@lemmy.world 82 points 1 year ago

“Infant throws tantrum, toys out of pram”.

Yeah.

[–] Qkall@lemmy.ml 27 points 1 year ago

as much as i'm not surpirsed.... it's finally looking like a meaningful conclusion (pls don't crush my dreams, its been a long week)

[–] Jimbo@yiffit.net 26 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Isn't leaving an ongoing trial of which you are the subject... illegal?

[–] MrNesser@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Pretty sure he doesn't have to be in the room for this one.

He is just having a tamptrum

[–] Nomad@infosec.pub 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] whostosay@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago

Tantrump* if it were a snake it woulda bit ya

[–] detalferous@lemm.ee 14 points 1 year ago

It's a civil case, not criminal

[–] Dkarma@lemmy.world 25 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I love it. Million to one bet that Trumps lawyers were telling him "oh the judge will have to give a directed verdict and dismiss. This is a slam dunk for us hes going to admit u didnt tell him to do it on the stand and that will be it it'll be dismissed."

When that didn't happen trump knew it instantly and literally rage quit. At some point he will be arrested by a bailiff I'm calling it right now.

[–] detalferous@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

I think you have a great take

[–] Treczoks@lemm.ee 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Didn't Trump paint Cohen as a big liar not long ago?

The whole Trump situation, his "press conferences", his rants, his social media blurps - It reminds me more and more of the scene in the movie "Downfall", when Adolf got messages he didn't want to hear...

[–] HollandJim@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This needs to be a deep fake - Trumps face in the "Downfall" scene. People can subtitle it for every bit of breaking daily news.

[–] SonnyVabitch@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Deep fake could dub it, too.

[–] phx@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Trump deep-faked onto Hitler's face - ranting in German but with Trump's voice and way of speaking (we had the best evidence, everyone said so, etc etc) - would be hilarious.

[–] Mac@mander.xyz 14 points 1 year ago

Storming out of the courtroom sounds like an admission of defeat to me.

[–] Grant_M@lemmy.ca 14 points 1 year ago

House speaker and crybaby fascist trump storms out...

[–] tehcooles@programming.dev 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Very disappointed that there doesn't seem to be video of his tantrum. I could really use that boost to my day.

Seriously. Is there one person that can stand there and film the exit 24/7 (completely legal BTW).

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Aw, that's so sad. Did little d have a tantrum?

[–] barfdrinker@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’m pretty sure I’d get stopped if I tried to storm out of my own trial

[–] elbarto777@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

No you wouldn't unless you were already in jail. This is a civil trial, so you can just leave.

Now, in theory, leaving means that you forfeit your defense.

In practice, it seems like Trump didn't even need to be there for Cohen's testimony.

[–] AgentGrimstone@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

He really doesn't like it when things don't go his way, does he? Is he gonna sic his mob on this trial too?

[–] badbytes@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Poor baby. Whaaaaaaa.

[–] Gazumi@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Stormy again (the pun that keeps on giving) ((yes another pun))

[–] aeronmelon@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

"The long arm of the law is on your shoulder."