May 16, 2024, 4:06 p.m. ET


Jonah BromwichReporting from inside the courthouse

There is no trial tomorrow, giving prosecutors a long weekend to plan their next moves. The defense spent a whole day casting Michael Cohen as a liar and elicited admissions that he had lied under oath during past cases, allowing them to cast some doubt on aspects of the story he’s told at this trial. But prosecutors will have three days to prepare for a crucial re-direct, in which they will seek to build Cohen back up and refocus the jurors on the most important elements of their case.

It is correct that there is redirect examination. However, in my experience redirect is never “crucial” to a witness’s credibility. What’s crucial are direct and cross. Cohen barely gave the prosecution what it needed on friendly direct. It all comes down to his uncorroborated word and Todd Blanche thoroughly discredited every word that Michael Cohen has uttered in his entire life. There is no coming back from this. Redirect cannot salvage a witness so exposed as untrustworthy. 

The case is over. Trump will be acquitted of all charges, felony and misdemeanor.