Trump trial ends first day of jury deliberations without a verdict
(CBS NEWS) — The first day of jury deliberations in former President Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial in New York ended without a verdict as jurors asked to review several portions of testimony and rehear the judge’s instructions in the case.
The 12 New Yorkers who will decide Trump’s fate met for nearly five hours after listening to the judge’s directions about how they should wade through the sea of complex legal issues that the case presents.
Justice Juan Merchan reminded them of their commitment to impartiality, and implored them to set aside their biases to decide the case on the facts and the law.
“Jurors, you will recall that during jury selection you agreed that you must set aside any opinions or bias you have in favor of or against the defendant and if you decide this case against the evidence and the law,” the judge said. “You must set aside any opinions and bias and you must not allow any opinion or bias to influence your verdict.”
Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records stemming from reimbursements for a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016. Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen made the payment, and prosecutors say Trump paid him back over the course of his first year in office. Trump is accused of illegally disguising the purpose of the reimbursements to hide the payment to Daniels and has pleaded not guilty.
Toward the end of the day, the jurors asked to review testimony surrounding some of the key allegations in the case, as well as the judge’s instructions. They will hear both when court reconvenes on Thursday.
