May 29, 2024, 3:27 p.m. ET
Jonah Bromwich Reporting from inside the courthouse
The second appears to pertain to Pecker’s decision not to collect reimbursement from Trump for his hush-money deal with McDougal. The wording from the jurors is slightly unclear, so this is the only request that we’re not entirely sure about at the moment.
[Were I the defense, I would not view requests about Pecker as favorable.]
Jonah Bromwich
May 29, 2024, 3:26 p.m. ET
Jonah Bromwich Reporting from inside the courthouse
The jurors asked to hear two other portions of David Pecker’s testimony. The first is about the phone call he testified he had with Trump during an investor meeting, in June 2016, during which Trump acknowledged that he knew Karen McDougal.
Jonah Bromwich
May 29, 2024, 3:17 p.m. ET
Jonah Bromwich Reporting from inside the courthouse
At first glance, the jurors’ focus on David Pecker, a witness who offered damning testimony against Trump, seems like a bad sign for the defense. On the other hand, they seem to want to check the testimony of Michael Cohen, who the defense sought to tar as a liar, against that of Pecker.
Jonah Bromwich
May 29, 2024, 3:17 p.m. ET
Jonah Bromwich Reporting from inside the courthouse
The jurors want to hear both men’s testimony about the Trump Tower meeting where Pecker testified that the two men reached that agreement with Trump himself. Perhaps they are seeking to compare their stories.
May 29, 2024, 3:13 p.m. ET
Jonah Bromwich Reporting from inside the courthouse
Three of the requests relate to testimony from David Pecker, the former publisher of The National Enquirer and the first witness to testify for the prosecution, who prosecutors say was part of a conspiracy to suppress negative news on Trump’s behalf during the 2016 election. One of them relates to testimony from Michael Cohen, the last witness to testify for the prosecution, who is also alleged to be a part of that conspiracy.
[The jury seems, to me, to have moved rapidly. They have focused in on the relevant testimony.]
