None of what the Judge did is usual, especially in complex legal issues. Judges use guidelines to exclude expert testimony ensuring that it contributes meaningfully to the case. Excluding expert testimony, particularly when it involves interpretations of the law, is not uncommon. It coincides with judicial practices aimed at maintaining fair and focused trials.
Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. The charges were from payments made before the 2016 election to prevent Daniels from going public with her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump. THese payments were later reimbursed to Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, and falsely recorded as legal expenses in Trump's business records.
The prosecution argued that these falsified records were part of a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election by covering up the payments, which violated campaign finance laws and tax regulations. The jury found that Trump acted with fraudulent intent and falsified the records to conceal another crime—namely, the violation of New York state election laws by promoting his candidacy through unlawful means
This is what the jury found Trump guilty of. A jury the defense had a hand in picking. A jury that likely heard some of your arguments but still yet found Donald Trump guilty.
This is all wrong. Be careful using that AI stuff.
Regarding the judge and Brad Smith, this is what I posted in another thread:
Trump convicted of a victimless "crime" in a kangaroo court. Our country is so screwed.
Some of the biggest problems I have with this:
1. The lead prosecutor Matthew Colangelo was a Biden surrogate. He was the no. 3 man at the DOJ, appointed by Biden. Left that job to join the Manhattan district attorney's office and head up this prosecution. An enormous step down career wise. In other words, Biden sent one of his top political appointees to try and put Biden's chief political rival in prison. A legitimate media would be all over this.
2. Even after the jury verdict, we don't know what the underlying crime was. It was not in the indictment. The judge didn't require the prosecution to disclose it before the case started. The judge gave the jury three options on what the underlying crime could be, and told them they didn't even have to unanimously agree. Because the defense was forced to give closing argument first, the first time we even got any clarity on the alleged underlying crime was during the prosecution's closing argument, with no chance for Trump to respond. The jury verdict does not specify the underlying crime. This is the worst violation of due process I have ever seen.
3. One of the alleged underlying crimes was supposedly an improper campaign contribution. The judge refused to allow Bradley Smith to testify and explain what constitutes an improper campaign contribution. He is the former head of the FEC and Clinton appointee. Then the judge let in evidence that Cohen pleaded guilty to an FEC violation and that David Pecker got a deal with prosecutors to not charge him with an FEC violation in exchange for his testimony. Then refused to allow evidence that the FEC and DOJ investigated Trump over this and refused to charge him. This left the obvious impression that Trump must be guilty of an FEC violation.
There is more, but those are some of the most glaring to me.
Regarding what Trump was convicted of, you do not know what the underlying crime was or what the jury found the underlying crime was. This is the law Trump was accused of violating:
§ 175.10 Falsifying business records in the first degree.
A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree
when he commits the crime of falsifying business records in the second
degree, and when his intent to defraud includes
an intent to commit
another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof.
Falsifying business records in the first degree is a class E felony.
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/175.10Here is a copy of the indictment. Note that it does not identify the "other crime."
https://www.manhattanda.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Donald-J.-Trump-Indictment.pdfHere is the jury's decision/verdict form. Note that it does not identify the "other crime."
https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/press/PDFs/Trump-Verdict-Sheet.pdfSo this comment is plainly wrong: "The jury found that Trump acted with fraudulent intent and falsified the records to conceal another crime—namely, the violation of New York state election laws by promoting his candidacy through unlawful means"
That comment is not supported by the indictment, the judge's instructions, or the jury verdict form.
