30 May 2024 , 07:14
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Donald Trump's ex-lawyer has claimed there is "zero" chance of him being acquitted in his hush money trial.
The jury began deliberations on Wednesday, following instructions from the judge on the legal parameters of the case and what they can consider when determining the former president's guilt or innocence. This comes after Tuesday's closing arguments, where prosecutor Joshua Steinglass accused Trump of deliberately misleading voters by allegedly engaging in a "catch-and-kill" scheme to suppress stories that could have jeopardised his 2016 presidential campaign.
In contrast, the defence attacked the credibility of key witness Michael Cohen, with Todd Blanche labelling the ex-president's former lawyer as "the greatest liar of all time" and urging jurors to swiftly acquit his client. Trump, who faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records - charges which carry a maximum sentence of four years in prison - has denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty.
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The jury is deliberating their verdict (Getty Images)Former White House lawyer Ty Cobb, who represented Trump during the Mueller investigation, told The Daily Beast that the likelihood of an acquittal is "zero to none", while the chances of a hung jury are "real" but "not likely". However, he noted that whether Blanche continues to be part of Trump's legal team remains uncertain.
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Last year, Cobb slammed Trump's defence in the federal case for mishandling classified documents and refusing to return them post-presidency. Trump lashed out on Truth Social, stating: "Ty Cobb is a disgruntled former Lawyer, who represented me long ago, and knows absolutely nothing about the Boxes Hoax being perpetrated upon me.
"His words are angry, nasty, and libellous, only because I did not continue using him (and paying him), and for good reason." In the meantime, legal experts are weighing in on Trump's trial outcomes, with some suggesting he could face jail time.
Former White House lawyer Ty Cobb said the chance of an acquittal is 'zero to none' (Denver Post via Getty Images)In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, law professor Gregory Germain from Syracuse University offered his take on the likely outcome of Trump's trial. He remarked: "I think the DA and the Judge are fully invested in obtaining a conviction. I think the judge will gloss over the legal issues in the jury instructions to allow a conviction by defining the legal issue around the propriety of paying hush money rather than the legality of paying hush money and how that relates to the document's charges.
"I doubt that there are any Trump supporters on the jury, and I think they are likely very offended by Trump's conduct in and out of court, and with the unethical behaviour. So, even though only one juror is necessary for Trump to obtain a mistrial, and even though it's a very flawed case, I predict that the jury will convict him."
Trump with attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove in court (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)But Professor Germain believes Trump won't go to jail, he explained: "Because it would be so outrageous to sentence Trump to jail for a first-time non-violent Class E felony, and doing so would cause a constitutional crisis and betray the judge's bias, I think the judge will sentence him to probation."
"Ultimately, I think the verdict will be reversed on appeal. If the judge sentences Trump to prison, then the courts will intervene quickly. If Trump isn't sentenced to prison, the appeal will take its sweet time and be reversed after the election."