Conclusion in Trump's trial: Defense requests exoneration

Legal redress is sought - Concluding phase in Trump's trial: Defense urges exoneration

In the conclusion stage of the historical legal battle against Donald Trump relating to the hush money given to a porn star, the defense has asserted Trump's innocence. Trump has not committed a crime, and the prosecution has not been able to back up their allegations, said defense attorney Todd Blanche to the 12 jurors in New York.

If found guilty, the previous presidential nominee could face a multi-year prison sentence, which might be extended, or a fine. He has pleaded not guilty.

Blanche once more questioned the credibility of the crown witness: "You can't convict President Trump according to Michael Cohen's statements." The former personal attorney of Trump has lied, according to Blanche, as he had before. This is the first criminal trial against a previous U.S. president in American history. The case in downtown Manhattan is about alleged document forgery in 34 instances.

Since mid-April, over 20 witnesses have testified. The prosecution accuses Trump of attempting to better his chances of winning the 2016 presidential election through paying $130,000 to Stormy Daniels. Although the payment itself was not unlawful, Trump is accused of manipulating documents to hide the reimbursements he paid to his former personal attorney Michael Cohen to conceal the actual purpose of the transaction. This transformed the payments into unlawful campaign financing.

The closing arguments represent the last chance to impact the twelve jurors' opinions in this widely-watched process. The jury is expected to retire for deliberation - this is anticipated for Tuesday or Wednesday. Normally, these debates last between several hours and a few days. Judge Juan Merchan instructed the jurors: "You and you alone are the verdict givers."

Trump was in attendance on Tuesday, like he has been every court day, wearing a dark blue suit and red tie with handwritten notes in front of him, noting that the process should be halted. In addition to more than a dozen people in Trump's entourage, three of his children were present: Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Tiffany Trump. His wife Melania remained absent, as the proceedings involved detailed accounts of Trump's alleged infidelity.

The testimony of porn star Daniels undoubtedly stole the show, as she provided thorough details of her sexual encounter with Trump. This did not appear favorable for Trump, and a reporter in the courtroom even compared it to a reality show. Blanche clarified to the jurors that the case was about the legitimacy of documents, not about any supposed encounter between Trump and Daniels.

Above all, Cohen had implicated Trump in his statement: This had misrepresented the reimbursement of the - paid right before Trump's victory in the 2016 presidential election - hush money as attorney's fees from Cohen. During a harsh cross-examination by Trump's lawyer Blanche, it became evident how frequently the witness had lied in the past, but the 57-year-old managed to maintain his composure. The courtroom proceedings around Cohen's testimony became a spectacle for Trump's political supporters in the courtroom - including those seen as candidates for the vice-presidential position alongside Trump in the upcoming elections.

At the end of the trial, Judge Merchan became irate when he saw a pro-Trump witness undermine his authority. Merchan ordered the room to be cleared briefly and threatened to eject the man from the stand.

The verdict could also have an effect on the ongoing election campaign in the United States - the question is how strong and to whose advantage. Trump is trying to turn the accusations into a personal advantage and mobilize his supporters by depicting himself as a victim of politically motivated justice. Incumbent Joe Biden hasn't seen any benefits from the proceedings against his challenger so far.

In the event of a guilty verdict by the jury, Judge Merchant will set the sentence at a separate hearing. If the jurors cannot reach an agreement after a longer deliberation, the case will be finished. In that case, the prosecution could opt to re-roll the trial with a new jury.

The trial is occurring amid extraordinary media interest and heightened security measures in downtown Manhattan. Trump has been present at each hearing, switching the color of his tie every day. For the short photo opportunity prior to the start of the session, he frequently assumed a grim facial expression. Some witness examinations seemed to captivate Trump, while on other days, the U.S. media was convinced that he had closed his eyes for extended periods due to being bored. When leaving and entering the courtroom, he occasionally waved at reporters or individuals he recognized.

Trump leveraged the trial and the media frenzy for his campaign: While he remained calm in the courtroom, he appeared every day in front of the cameras in the hallway outside Courtroom 1530 - where, incidentally, former film producer Harvey Weinstein had been found guilty - and answered questions sporadically and continuously preached about how the proceedings against him were politically motivated. Over the course of the trial, he became increasingly adept at following Judge Merchant's instructions not to comment on trial participants.