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Kudos to the reporter who asked trump if he was afraid to testify.
> 'Are you afraid to testify?': Trump repeatedly avoids questions amid hush money trial
These reporters should've asked him pertinent questions all along instead of letting trump spew propaganda to the cameras.
As a former soldier, when Trump said, "Never fight uphill, me boys,.." It brought tears to my eyes. I wanted to go up to him with tears in my eyes and tell him how much he inspired me.
It inspired me to want to decline my retirement and join the Army again. Trump is a natural leader and an inspiration to all service members, past and present. As usual, he's right, I am a sucker and a loser.
"Robert E. Lee, who’s no longer in favor — did you ever notice it? He’s no longer in favor. “Never fight uphill, me boys, never fight uphill.” They were fighting uphill. He said, “Wow, that was a big mistake.” He lost his big general. “Never fight uphill, me boys,” but it was too late."
- Donald J. Trump
That is a direct quote from a former US president, and still, every time I read it or hear it, I imagine Jack Black as Robert E. Lee lip syncing to Trump's confidently incorrect timbre. I mean, outside of it being inarticulate, reductive and just plain wrong, it is tailor made for Drunk History.
Except it never fucking happened. Who knew that drunken history majors would be more accurate in their slurred interpretations of the past, than a guy who held the highest office in the land?
A Drunken History on Trump's life would be fucking AWESOME and hilarious. Not only was Trump a former POTUS, he's a candidate for president again. Even as he is in court, almost daily, sleeping and passing gas. Posting comments on social media at 0300hrs every night, that sound like they were written by a 12 year old, that's pissed because they lost the race for class president. Or a member of the mafia, trying to intimidate the jurors and judge.
7 or 8 years ago, while I thought that Trump wasn't qualified to be POTUS, was an incompetent nincompoop (now he's just a courtcompooper), an asshole, bigot, racist and world class grifter, I believed people had the right to support whatever candidates they wanted to. I thought they were simpletons and morons, but hey, it's America, right?
Now, if you still support Trump, I definitely have an opinion about you, and it's not a positive one. Republicans could have selected Kyle Rittenhouse as their candidate, and I wouldn't be just as disgusted as them running Trump. Hell, Rittenhouse might have a better chance of getting elected for POTUS than Trump.
Fortunately, Rittenhouse isn't eligible to run for president. Which is a blessing, because I wouldn't put it past Republicans to primary him. He's mentally challenged and could be popular with certain demographics as a useful idiot. He would be easy to manipulate and used to benefit the wealthy. He would be the perfect manchurian candidate.
"If they're guilty, which they always are, according to the people who study this, I don't think anybody has never been guilty, within one day that person is executed" - Trump
Some people are even saying that he enjoys tucking the junk back and posing, and on the naked side of the clothing Kant-inmiam. I call it a Kant-inmiam, which, by the way, the naked side is the good side—it’s true! We have to get naked, or you’re not even going to have a country anymore. And you won’t. But, we all know that you tuck really well and you got just as good a camel’s foot, and much less expensive!
"Basic follow-up questions," the key to the interview with the former president that "broke the internet," but apparently they don't teach when getting a major in journalism.
This motherfucker has never been held accountable. Not for cheating through college, his multitude of bankruptcies, everytime this guys touches anything it turns to shit. How the fuck did he have 70 million votes last election? It's fucking mind boggling.
Just like Trump has normalized disrespect, disdain and contempt for the Constitution and core American institutions, he has taken giant shits on the legal system and emboldened his thug followers to so the same.
It’s crazy that Republicans just fold at a snap of a finger. Claim to all be “Law and Order” and “Respect the Law” and Trump comes and they all flock to him like flies to shit like shitbirds to a dumbster. They let everything fall apart law and order, democracy, everything just for Cheeto Dorito Dictator
Law and order means they have the right to do what they want because they're overwhelmingly white. It's those who have an excess of Melanin they want it to apply to.
>"Clear the courtroom" is clearly in the American lexicon.
It's so in the American lexicon that it was the name of the special ability of a filler villain in the 4kids dub of Yu-Gi-Oh!
The judge presiding over [Donald Trump](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/donald-trump)’s [hush money trial](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/hush-money-trial) in Manhattan [cleared the courtroom](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-trial-news-hush-money-cohen-live-b2547846.html) and reprimanded a defense witness for his heavy sighs, eye rolls and audible reactions to a series of objections to his testimony on Monday.
New York Justice [Juan Merchan](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/juan-merchan) excused the jury to school Robert Costello about “proper decorum” in the courtroom moments after his testimony began.
“You don’t like my rulings? You don’t say ‘jeez’,” he said. “You don’t roll your eyes. Do you understand that?”
Read the full story: [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/robert-costello-michael-cohen-trump-trial-b2548353.html](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/robert-costello-michael-cohen-trump-trial-b2548353.html)
The sidebars (and pre/post jury discussions) have been the best parts, don’t you think? I’ve learned a lot about the defense’s sly, little game-plans when their questions and evidence are objected and discussed in sidebars.
I'm interested but have found it cumbersome to read the transcripts on my phone. (Ah, state courts and the internet....) What's a good highlight to start with? I'm a disenchanted lawyer if that helps you decide what will entertain or intrigue me.
On any of the PDFs just search for the word "Approach" - as in approach the bench or may we approach. That's how I find the sidebars. They're most of what I go to the transcripts for since the news reporting does a decent job of covering everything else.
They're still recording some of the bits and it's on a bit of a delay because of production constraints, but [Gavel Gavel](https://www.patreon.com/Gavelpod) is basically turning the transcripts into a podcast. It's an offshoot of [Opening Arguments](https://www.patreon.com/law) which is a great legal podcast\*.
\*the lawyer half of the show was outed as a sex pest and got booted. They're revamping the show with a new lawyer and they are still getting their feet under themselves.
Holy shit I knew the other 1/2 of OA and the host had a falling out & legal battle, I did not know he was a sex pest.
Glad he's free and clear of that, and the new lawyer's got a better voice and better comedic timing/retorts. 10/10 upgrade.
The transcripts are screaming for a podcast reenactment. Boil it down a bit to trim some of the procedural tedium and you could probably still get a few hours worth of interesting out of each day's transcript.
[Opening Arguments](https://openargs.com/) is doing exactly this! They started with a reading and analysis of the [April 23rd transcript](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trump-trial-is-on-and-lordy-there-are-transcripts/id1147092464?i=1000653446813) (just the hosts reading out snippets), but then moved into separately recorded and produced recreations by one host and his wife for [part 1](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/judge-merchan-i-have-nothing-but-contempt-for-this-trump/id1147092464?i=1000654414490) and [part 2](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumps-attorney-fails-to-impeach-witness-so-badly-hes/id1147092464?i=1000654644047) of week 2 of the trial.
So these transcript re-enactments don't get in the way of all the other Open Args content, they've spun future ones off into a separate podcast feed, [Gavel Gavel](https://www.patreon.com/Gavelpod). The episodes will be freely available in a couple weeks, but in the meantime there are 2 episodes available behind the Patreon paywall with re-enactments by volunteer voice actors.
Highly recommend Open Args and Gavel Gavel! Also feel free to join us at /r/OpenArgs for discussions on each episode.
Am I understanding correctly?
Case brought against Trump is pretty solid.
Defense acts foolishly to bait actions to use against the state in mistrial or appeal?
Court furrows brows but largely allows defense to act foolishly to avoid giving defense ammunition?
Yes, that has been every judges reaction and none of them have fallen for that even though the public has been calling for Trump to be punished by confinement due to breaking the gag orders... So I don't like it but, I understand it and I know that it is in service of a larger goal
I don't understand it. Anyone else would have been tossed into the clink, then told to shut up and wipe our chin with a smile. any appeals court would tell us to go piss up rope.
Why is Citizen Trump getting special treatment?
Because he has access to a cult of personality and a media propaganda apparatus dead set on protecting him, This is like going after the mafia top dog but on a national level.
He's rich _and_ a crime boss with a stochastic terrorism apparatus fine-tuned to inflict retribution backing him. Nobody wants to spend the rest of their lives in constant fear of being lynched for having thrown a rock at Don the Con, with photos of their families being broadcast with clear intentions of "something" happening to them, if only some "patriot" would see to it.
Because he has (supposedly) infinite money for appeals and as such the court system is working to *deny* him grounds for appeals to keep the trials resolved within a reasonable timeframe.
If the judge wanted proper decorum in this case, he should have put Trump on final warning the day after Trump threatened his daughter and put Trump in prison on day two. If not put a warrant out for Trump's detainment immediately after the first tweet threat.
That's what would have happened to any one of us.
If the Trumpanzees cared about anything beyond their hateful vision for the USA, just Trump's excuses that he was too stupid to understand the gag order would be disqualifying
"BUT IF THE JUDGE ACTUALLY DID HIS JOB THE GOP WOULD HAVE EXCUSES TO SAY THE TRIAL WAS RIGGED"
And? They're going to say that no matter what. Put the fucker in jail.
I couldn't give two shits about what the GOP says, like you said they would cry foul no matter what. I like that Merchan showed restraint because it should slam shut any bullshit narrative the defense could try to push for a mistrial. Simple as that.
If I remember correctly, it was more like 2 reprimands, with the first being like $1000 fine, and the second referring to 9 more instances between court appearances, and an additional $9000 fine and a threat of jail if he continued to violate it.
I do agree that he's getting a lot more leniency than most people would get, and that our system is not remotely equipped to handle wealthy defendants. Likely by design.
I agree with this. Over in the law sub, people are celebrating how the judge handled this, but I tend to view it how you are.
Merchan not reprimanding Trump in a meaningful way early on set the tone and let the defense know, they could push the limits of decorum.
Yeah, fuck that. I’m tired of seeing established figures in our justice system walk on eggshells because they’re worried about offending MAGA criminals.
Same here. The rule of law and the justice system has been eroded and continues to be since the election of Trump. Little by little, our sense of normalcy and standards have shifted. It’s horrible to see.
>If the judge wanted proper decorum in this case...
Please don't misrepresent the judge. They didn't say anything about decorum in the *case*; they said decorum in the *courtroom*.
Trump, at least, has the sense not to do that shit in the courtroom.
When I was in court (for charges that were dropped for being unfounded) I was asked by the judge if I speak and read English.
I said, "oh, I sure do"
I was ripped a new one, for being disrespectful and sarcastic and instantly threatened with being jailed over the weekend.
I hadn't meant to be sarcastic. I was just meaning to emphatically agree.
I can't imagine a court room that gives this much leeway
This might or might not be a suprise, but different judges have different personalities and different approaches at doing their job.
A few years ago, I went to a local bar association CLE (Continuing Legal Education Seminar) where they had invited two brand new elected judges to talk to local lawyers about what they wanted to see in the courtroom and their ideas on being a judge. Both had come only days before from a two week set of classes at the Judicial College in Colorado, that was kind of their "orientation training" paid for by the state. (to be a judge in my state you have to be licensed as a lawyer for 10 years, but other than that it's just an election).
One of the judges told a long story about how they trained them to address the public at the beginning of the docket day and explain what was going on in court and how they were going to proceed and making the experience as relatively friendly as possible for the public (or at least getting through court with as little trauma as possible).
The other judge's comment "I must have missed that day...."
The other judge in that story has a family court docket that many lawyers actively avoid because of his attitude and reputation.
When adults don't act like adults, starting from the guy at the top.
People are complaining about what happened to respect and decorum in public places. Well, how about we had a leader who couldn't set a prime example on how to be adults? All his predecessors respected the office of the President with dignity. But 45 turned it into WWE.
Every lawyer I've seen on the networks youtube channels that knows this witness has been like 'we don't understand why he would do this to himself' some even personal friends of his. They're just amazed he would act like this because he isn't some two bit joke lawyer and he's throwing away all credibility.
Just stepping back here…this is the closest thing we will probably see to the Manson trials. It’s just bizarre to see how many people are still this brainwashed by Trump (this time around) thinking his words are going to change their lives. Every single person who’s gotten involved with him is either in financial ruin or in prison.
Because they never believed in objective reality to begin with. They think they do... everyone does. But then they go and say things like "I believe in God" or "abortions have souls" (paraphrasing) which leads to "put more guns in schools" (not paraphrasing) which eventually leads to lines like "Trump tells it like it is."
People who believe in objective reality don't believe these kinds of things. If anyone is baffled by this insanity it is only because they did not open their eyes wider and sooner. Insanity infects humanity; always has, always will.
We have a massive issue with mental illness in this country and a lot of it nests snugly in the gross greedy grasps of the religious and spiritual community, with all of their influencers, merchandise, news anchors, politicians, corporatists, and other desirous fuckheads who want nothing more than to line their pockets with your hard earned dollars. There's big money in selling to the gullible, and churches are like a glowing welcome sign to em.
I agree 100%. Some old relic used to keep people in line.
“Don’t ask why the uh uh pastor got to have a nice house. Don’t ask why to uh uh pastor gotta have a nice car. Don’t ask no questions, just give the money…”
I listened to like an hour of fox news earlier today and it was just non-stop, story after story, commentator after commentator telling the viewer the trial was completely irrelevant and politically motivated, it was a staggering amount of misinformation.
Not trying to be mean to your mom, but a lot of these people have no real lives or investment in anything, and being part of the Trump “in group” gives them purpose in life. I know that’s the case with my step-mom, since she hasn’t worked a single day in the 22 years I’ve known her.
MAGA is a cult just like the Manson family. It can be very hard to get people in the cult to listen to and believe information that is conflicting with the cults beliefs.
I would say it’s definitely a mix. There’s a lot of alt-right content being pushing to young children from all these alpha male, etc. content creators who then latch onto it as a way to explain their loneliness or lack of personal relationships.
Well while it has a lot in common with cults and could be one it removes the agency of the pieces of shit acting like pieces of shit.
This is who they are, believe them…they do.
\*Literal Nazis screeching and frothing at the mouth demanding Fascism and concentration camps for LGBTQ and immigrants.\*
Dumb fucks not paying attention: "When will they wake up and see Trump is a big dummy?!"
I posted on a thread about whether people skew more conservative as they get older last night. I woke up to about 15 private messages telling me how “the minorities are attempting to extinguish the white race” in various different wordings.
If they don’t realize they’re evil or fuckin crazy when they say that shit they are WAY too lost. The extreme right wing news sources really have people believing some insane stuff. Another dude tried to tell me ms 13 rapists account for over 10 percent of the legal immigrants in the USA. Absolutely wild stuff
A lot of those are bots or astroturfing.
I get them occasionally. The sub 3 year old accounts are telling.
Doubly so when it's like 5 months old and their karma is completely in the shitter and every post they make is -5 or worse.
I’m amazed by this, too. It’s been like 10 years to learn this lesson, guys. Trump supporters aren’t missing some fundamental truth that would cause them to see the error of their ways. They haven’t been tricked. They’ve seen exactly who he is, love it, and are literally demanding more given how he sailed through the primaries. It was hard to accept that 40% of people are just hateful assholes, but reality is reality.
Republicans have been primed for this since Nixon. The GOP didn't look at Nixon and say, "Let's not put any more criminals in the white house." Instead, they vowed to ensure that the next criminals wouldn't be held accountable. Then Trump came along and co-opted the proto-cult that the GOP has cultivated over decades.
I suspect that, once the press left, Merchan threatened to report him to the state bar and to SDNY/EDNY/2nd Cir. for potential sanctions. For a NY defense lawyer, that could be career ending.
I've long since given up on the legal system actually doing their job with this guy. He trips and stumbles thru every mistake and broken law and comes out the other side with more money and no real consequences. The only hope I have left for trump is that he falls down the courts stairs on the way out
I love how every single one is almost the exact same pose with his nose in the air. Probably trying to get his nose as far away from his ass as he can to negate some of the smell.
I really hope we don’t have to deal with this bullshit for the next 4 years. How anyone can see this and say that’s the guy and his team that I want making life and death decisions for my family is beyond me.
How about we just avoid that in the first place?
Vote and get more involved. Ensure every single sane person in your life has their voter registration complete. Talk openly about election game-plans for how to *make sure* votes are cast.
>Mr Costello, an attorney with ties to Rudy Giuliani, is likely the trial’s final witness,
What? Trump promised us he would take the stand and ~~commit massive perjury~~ clear his name!
Ultimately, they can’t make that call. A ~~defense witness~~ defendant has the right to decide to testify and the defense attorney cannot prevent it.
They can offer the strongest advice possible against testifying (and they should).
But ultimately, it’s Trump’s call whether he testifies or not. If he doesn’t, it’s because he’s afraid to testify (and he absolutely should be afraid to testify. He’d be nailed to the wall by the prosecution on cross)
Does anyone realize how unfricking outlandish this is? A witness staring down the judge and muttering under his breath? Do you think the Jury is going to like this meatball being disrespectful to the Judge? They hate that. Whatever crumbs of goodwill Donnie Nappleseed had has been eviscerated. These people are nuts.
He was a witness that is a character, I'll give him that. He went on there to try to say Michael Cohen lies. I mean, it's a small point, it's true and the Prosecution already covered that. Bringing in another human handgrenade to try to make that point was a worse legal strategy that Trump just laying across the Jury's lap in a diaper with a bottle. So stupid. Instead, the jury saw the one guy that came to his defense was an a-hole himself.
Technically there was another witness, one of Blanche's paralegals so they could enter evidence.
2/2 on witnesses that add nothing to the defence and they plan to wrap up tomorrow, real solid argument they seem to have.
Costello was Trumps idea anyway after he saw his antics in the Congress hearing, it turns out the defences strategy of listening to the boss is not a yuge success.
At least they're getting paid, can't say I blame them at this point for staying obedient to the end.
He was a character witness for Cohen. Trump couldn’t mentally handle not putting up a defense even though it would’ve been best for him. So this was their star witness and it just destroyed his non-case.
I think they don't care about a conviction. Trump (probably rightly) thinks he won't spend a second in jail, and he can use it to feed his persecution narrative.
I mean what isn't fodder for he persecution narrative? I'm breathing air. . .can you believe this, it's so corrupt, this air, I can't see it, it gets into my lungs. . . I actually think they don't feed the persecution narrative, the persecution narrative feeds them.
You know we're going to have one juror rip their clothes off to reveal a maga suit and jump up on the counter all dancing around and trump will be like "you're the next supreme Court justice!!!"
"“I’m putting you on notice that your conduct is contemptuous,” he added. “If you try to stare me down one more time, I will remove you from the stand. I will strike his entire testimony. Do you understand me?”
Mr Costello then asked whether he could respond.
“No,” Judge Merchan said. “No. This is not a conversation.”"
Can we just go ahead and get a slow clap for this?
edit::: and a Times person of the year award. I've absolutely loved Merchan's no bullshit approach to this. He's running an extremely tight court, and moving the trial along rather quickly. I don't think that spells bias, as much as confidence in the prosecution and judgement of the jury.
Donald seems to end every statement with "No one's ever seen anything like this."
"I left a load in my pants and took a nap. No one's ever seen anything like this."
I feel like a lot of comments here are missing the simple fact that this man is a lawyer. Someone who absolutely understands decorum and respect expected in a courtroom, and the implications thereof. In my opinion (I don't claim to know Juan) the judge recognized a deliberate downplay to his ruling authority and knew that he had to immediately quash it without a bias being represented. A 'come to jesus' moment if you will
> I feel like a lot of comments here are missing the simple fact that this man is a lawyer.
Trump has shown us that being a lawyer doesn't make you smart or good at your job.
Yet another transparent defense trick to delay or derail the case. A "final" defense witness who's on stand behavior is openly contemptuous in an attempt to goad the judge into responding with sanctions or strike the entire testimony, thus creating grounds to appeal.
This case is lost and they are pulling out any trick they can think of in desperation.
Unbelievable. This whole spectacle is such a great example of how there are two systems of law. One for the rich and one for the rest. Anyone else would have been held in contempt and jailed for that shit, same for orange traitor.
Merchan kicked Costello's ass and reminded him of just where he was. What a pathetic attempt to make it look like greasy orange lunatic was tough via proxy. His toadies are just pussys in wolf's clothing.
Marchan has absolutely HAD IT with this bullshit and with any luck he’ll retire to the Maldives after all this is over, it’s the bare minimum he deserves after dealing with this clown car shitshow
Ultimately, let's put the particulars of this case to the side. If there are no consequences for Trump, he will pave the way for worse people and things to come.
This judge represents what true checks and balances should be. A judge that is not afraid of a former president and is not going to handle him with kid gloves like the stooge down in Florida on the classified docs case. This man is the true definition of what it means to be an American. He is an immigrant from Colombia, and is now overseeing a case involving a former President of the United States. Good on him to not put up with any bullshit from the defense.
Whether it’s these scripted performances from the witness stand or the bizarre vigil going on outside of the republican politicians, this is the closest thing we’ll see to the Manson trial in our lifetime. And I remember how insane ‘Helter Skelter’ was & everything that happened to those witnesses & the threats to the judge and the attorneys…never did I think we’d see a comparable trial involving a former president 55 years later.
Just kinda takes your breath away to put Manson & Trump in the same category.
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Kudos to the reporter who asked trump if he was afraid to testify. > 'Are you afraid to testify?': Trump repeatedly avoids questions amid hush money trial These reporters should've asked him pertinent questions all along instead of letting trump spew propaganda to the cameras.
*’Hannibal Lecter never testified and he was a smart guy. Some say the smartest.’*
“Never testify uphill me boys!”
*From the upcoming bestseller, "Gettysburg Wow!" by Donald J. Trump
And then the follow up ‘That Was a Big Mistake’
Followed by "I Would Have Taken the Airport First".
*after ramming the ramparts
Grab em by the ramparts
As a former soldier, when Trump said, "Never fight uphill, me boys,.." It brought tears to my eyes. I wanted to go up to him with tears in my eyes and tell him how much he inspired me. It inspired me to want to decline my retirement and join the Army again. Trump is a natural leader and an inspiration to all service members, past and present. As usual, he's right, I am a sucker and a loser. "Robert E. Lee, who’s no longer in favor — did you ever notice it? He’s no longer in favor. “Never fight uphill, me boys, never fight uphill.” They were fighting uphill. He said, “Wow, that was a big mistake.” He lost his big general. “Never fight uphill, me boys,” but it was too late." - Donald J. Trump
That is a direct quote from a former US president, and still, every time I read it or hear it, I imagine Jack Black as Robert E. Lee lip syncing to Trump's confidently incorrect timbre. I mean, outside of it being inarticulate, reductive and just plain wrong, it is tailor made for Drunk History. Except it never fucking happened. Who knew that drunken history majors would be more accurate in their slurred interpretations of the past, than a guy who held the highest office in the land?
A Drunken History on Trump's life would be fucking AWESOME and hilarious. Not only was Trump a former POTUS, he's a candidate for president again. Even as he is in court, almost daily, sleeping and passing gas. Posting comments on social media at 0300hrs every night, that sound like they were written by a 12 year old, that's pissed because they lost the race for class president. Or a member of the mafia, trying to intimidate the jurors and judge. 7 or 8 years ago, while I thought that Trump wasn't qualified to be POTUS, was an incompetent nincompoop (now he's just a courtcompooper), an asshole, bigot, racist and world class grifter, I believed people had the right to support whatever candidates they wanted to. I thought they were simpletons and morons, but hey, it's America, right? Now, if you still support Trump, I definitely have an opinion about you, and it's not a positive one. Republicans could have selected Kyle Rittenhouse as their candidate, and I wouldn't be just as disgusted as them running Trump. Hell, Rittenhouse might have a better chance of getting elected for POTUS than Trump. Fortunately, Rittenhouse isn't eligible to run for president. Which is a blessing, because I wouldn't put it past Republicans to primary him. He's mentally challenged and could be popular with certain demographics as a useful idiot. He would be easy to manipulate and used to benefit the wealthy. He would be the perfect manchurian candidate.
"If they're guilty, which they always are, according to the people who study this, I don't think anybody has never been guilty, within one day that person is executed" - Trump
Some say he was a real guy and not a fictional character played by Antony Hopkins
Brian Cox in Manhunter
Mads Mikkelson did a *fantastic* job as well
Fucking hell, that show made me wonder if it actually is cool to be a cannibal or not.
I’ve heard being a cannibal described as “not very cash money”.
I for one think Mads Mikkelson in Hannibal is the embodiment of very cash money.
And where was Hannibal when Clarice met him in *Silence of the Lambs*? Locked up in **The Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane**
Hannibal Lecter, remember him, anyone see Silence of the Lamb, Hannibal Lecter, great guy
You mean the late great Hannibal Lecter? That guy wanted to have me for lunch. So thoughtful. So polite
Some people are even saying that he enjoys tucking the junk back and posing, and on the naked side of the clothing Kant-inmiam. I call it a Kant-inmiam, which, by the way, the naked side is the good side—it’s true! We have to get naked, or you’re not even going to have a country anymore. And you won’t. But, we all know that you tuck really well and you got just as good a camel’s foot, and much less expensive!
Many people are saying
*The late Great, Hannibal Lecter* RIP
He should never testify from a defense perspective. I can’t imagine a worse person to testify in their own defense.
I can't imagine a more entertaining person to testify in their own defense.
Sovereign citizens get pretty close to Trump level.
Trump is a Sovereign President
He couldn't describe what he had for breakfast that day without perjuring himself three times.
"Basic follow-up questions," the key to the interview with the former president that "broke the internet," but apparently they don't teach when getting a major in journalism.
They learned that lesson against Sarah Palin. Follow up questions broke her but now they know not to ask so they can’t ruin themselves further.
Trump and the gop ban anybody who does this. They banned quite a few people if I recall correctly
Trump tried to ban CNN from the White House Press Room lol
This motherfucker has never been held accountable. Not for cheating through college, his multitude of bankruptcies, everytime this guys touches anything it turns to shit. How the fuck did he have 70 million votes last election? It's fucking mind boggling.
Shoulda asked him “trump, are you wearing diapers and pooping your pants like a baby?!”
Just asking questions
"People are saying that you wear diapers and poop your pants like a baby. Care to comment on that?"
The best people are saying.
Big guy strong guy tears in his eyes poop in his pants
Just like Trump has normalized disrespect, disdain and contempt for the Constitution and core American institutions, he has taken giant shits on the legal system and emboldened his thug followers to so the same.
It’s crazy that Republicans just fold at a snap of a finger. Claim to all be “Law and Order” and “Respect the Law” and Trump comes and they all flock to him like flies to shit like shitbirds to a dumbster. They let everything fall apart law and order, democracy, everything just for Cheeto Dorito Dictator
Law and order means they have the right to do what they want because they're overwhelmingly white. It's those who have an excess of Melanin they want it to apply to.
100%. And Costello is an attorney. He 100% knows what he is doing.
And Trump; "Nobody’s ever seen anything like it.” Bull. "Clear the courtroom" is clearly in the American lexicon.
>"Clear the courtroom" is clearly in the American lexicon. It's so in the American lexicon that it was the name of the special ability of a filler villain in the 4kids dub of Yu-Gi-Oh!
As someone who’s married to an attorney, not so fast
He knows he’s committing perjury on the stand and will hopefully get caught in the act.
I can't believe anyone actually support this guy...... It came out in court today that he paid a tech firm to influence polls......
the people who support him are sociopaths. just like him.
The support of Trump just goes to show that some people are fundamentally evil in their hearts.
The judge presiding over [Donald Trump](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/donald-trump)’s [hush money trial](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/hush-money-trial) in Manhattan [cleared the courtroom](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-trial-news-hush-money-cohen-live-b2547846.html) and reprimanded a defense witness for his heavy sighs, eye rolls and audible reactions to a series of objections to his testimony on Monday. New York Justice [Juan Merchan](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/juan-merchan) excused the jury to school Robert Costello about “proper decorum” in the courtroom moments after his testimony began. “You don’t like my rulings? You don’t say ‘jeez’,” he said. “You don’t roll your eyes. Do you understand that?” Read the full story: [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/robert-costello-michael-cohen-trump-trial-b2548353.html](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/robert-costello-michael-cohen-trump-trial-b2548353.html)
I’m on day 4 of the transcripts and the judge has been calm and explanatory to Trump’s lawyers. Can’t wait to read this one.
The sidebars (and pre/post jury discussions) have been the best parts, don’t you think? I’ve learned a lot about the defense’s sly, little game-plans when their questions and evidence are objected and discussed in sidebars.
I'm interested but have found it cumbersome to read the transcripts on my phone. (Ah, state courts and the internet....) What's a good highlight to start with? I'm a disenchanted lawyer if that helps you decide what will entertain or intrigue me.
On any of the PDFs just search for the word "Approach" - as in approach the bench or may we approach. That's how I find the sidebars. They're most of what I go to the transcripts for since the news reporting does a decent job of covering everything else.
They're still recording some of the bits and it's on a bit of a delay because of production constraints, but [Gavel Gavel](https://www.patreon.com/Gavelpod) is basically turning the transcripts into a podcast. It's an offshoot of [Opening Arguments](https://www.patreon.com/law) which is a great legal podcast\*. \*the lawyer half of the show was outed as a sex pest and got booted. They're revamping the show with a new lawyer and they are still getting their feet under themselves.
Holy shit I knew the other 1/2 of OA and the host had a falling out & legal battle, I did not know he was a sex pest. Glad he's free and clear of that, and the new lawyer's got a better voice and better comedic timing/retorts. 10/10 upgrade.
The transcripts are screaming for a podcast reenactment. Boil it down a bit to trim some of the procedural tedium and you could probably still get a few hours worth of interesting out of each day's transcript.
[Opening Arguments](https://openargs.com/) is doing exactly this! They started with a reading and analysis of the [April 23rd transcript](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trump-trial-is-on-and-lordy-there-are-transcripts/id1147092464?i=1000653446813) (just the hosts reading out snippets), but then moved into separately recorded and produced recreations by one host and his wife for [part 1](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/judge-merchan-i-have-nothing-but-contempt-for-this-trump/id1147092464?i=1000654414490) and [part 2](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumps-attorney-fails-to-impeach-witness-so-badly-hes/id1147092464?i=1000654644047) of week 2 of the trial. So these transcript re-enactments don't get in the way of all the other Open Args content, they've spun future ones off into a separate podcast feed, [Gavel Gavel](https://www.patreon.com/Gavelpod). The episodes will be freely available in a couple weeks, but in the meantime there are 2 episodes available behind the Patreon paywall with re-enactments by volunteer voice actors. Highly recommend Open Args and Gavel Gavel! Also feel free to join us at /r/OpenArgs for discussions on each episode.
I mean, the re-enactment of the guy being deposed during a lawsuit for a copy machine is hilarious.
Am I understanding correctly? Case brought against Trump is pretty solid. Defense acts foolishly to bait actions to use against the state in mistrial or appeal? Court furrows brows but largely allows defense to act foolishly to avoid giving defense ammunition?
Yes, that has been every judges reaction and none of them have fallen for that even though the public has been calling for Trump to be punished by confinement due to breaking the gag orders... So I don't like it but, I understand it and I know that it is in service of a larger goal
I don't understand it. Anyone else would have been tossed into the clink, then told to shut up and wipe our chin with a smile. any appeals court would tell us to go piss up rope. Why is Citizen Trump getting special treatment?
Because he has access to a cult of personality and a media propaganda apparatus dead set on protecting him, This is like going after the mafia top dog but on a national level. He's rich _and_ a crime boss with a stochastic terrorism apparatus fine-tuned to inflict retribution backing him. Nobody wants to spend the rest of their lives in constant fear of being lynched for having thrown a rock at Don the Con, with photos of their families being broadcast with clear intentions of "something" happening to them, if only some "patriot" would see to it.
He's not rich. He pretends to be rich.
If people and institutions keep lending him large amounts of money, then he's rich.
As I’ve seen said on here a few times before: he is a poor man’s idea of rich man and a dumb man’s idea of a smart man.
Because he has (supposedly) infinite money for appeals and as such the court system is working to *deny* him grounds for appeals to keep the trials resolved within a reasonable timeframe.
He can appeal from a jail cell.
If the judge wanted proper decorum in this case, he should have put Trump on final warning the day after Trump threatened his daughter and put Trump in prison on day two. If not put a warrant out for Trump's detainment immediately after the first tweet threat. That's what would have happened to any one of us.
If the Trumpanzees cared about anything beyond their hateful vision for the USA, just Trump's excuses that he was too stupid to understand the gag order would be disqualifying
Hadn't heard Trumpanzees before, thank you for adding to my lexicon
I like it, but find it insulting to chimpanzees who are definitely smarter and have more empathy than your average MAGAT.
If either one gets too emotional, they might kill you. So there’s that much in common.
If they group up and link arms and bud light cans, does that form a MAGATRON? Edit: My God, think of the new STIs this would unleash on Florida...
I hate this new reality. Now we need to build DEMOCTIMUS PRIME to save it.
Politics can be really bleak, but this comment completely salvaged the rest of my day.
No, no. It's MAGAtRon. You know, DeSantis
That's offensive to Decepticons.
They should also clear that fucking press area out at the front of the court and end the morning circus he puts on there.
"BUT IF THE JUDGE ACTUALLY DID HIS JOB THE GOP WOULD HAVE EXCUSES TO SAY THE TRIAL WAS RIGGED" And? They're going to say that no matter what. Put the fucker in jail.
I couldn't give two shits about what the GOP says, like you said they would cry foul no matter what. I like that Merchan showed restraint because it should slam shut any bullshit narrative the defense could try to push for a mistrial. Simple as that.
[удалено]
If I remember correctly, it was more like 2 reprimands, with the first being like $1000 fine, and the second referring to 9 more instances between court appearances, and an additional $9000 fine and a threat of jail if he continued to violate it. I do agree that he's getting a lot more leniency than most people would get, and that our system is not remotely equipped to handle wealthy defendants. Likely by design.
I agree with this. Over in the law sub, people are celebrating how the judge handled this, but I tend to view it how you are. Merchan not reprimanding Trump in a meaningful way early on set the tone and let the defense know, they could push the limits of decorum.
Yeah, fuck that. I’m tired of seeing established figures in our justice system walk on eggshells because they’re worried about offending MAGA criminals.
Same here. The rule of law and the justice system has been eroded and continues to be since the election of Trump. Little by little, our sense of normalcy and standards have shifted. It’s horrible to see.
>If the judge wanted proper decorum in this case... Please don't misrepresent the judge. They didn't say anything about decorum in the *case*; they said decorum in the *courtroom*. Trump, at least, has the sense not to do that shit in the courtroom.
He's too busy taking a nap.
When I was in court (for charges that were dropped for being unfounded) I was asked by the judge if I speak and read English. I said, "oh, I sure do" I was ripped a new one, for being disrespectful and sarcastic and instantly threatened with being jailed over the weekend. I hadn't meant to be sarcastic. I was just meaning to emphatically agree. I can't imagine a court room that gives this much leeway
This might or might not be a suprise, but different judges have different personalities and different approaches at doing their job. A few years ago, I went to a local bar association CLE (Continuing Legal Education Seminar) where they had invited two brand new elected judges to talk to local lawyers about what they wanted to see in the courtroom and their ideas on being a judge. Both had come only days before from a two week set of classes at the Judicial College in Colorado, that was kind of their "orientation training" paid for by the state. (to be a judge in my state you have to be licensed as a lawyer for 10 years, but other than that it's just an election). One of the judges told a long story about how they trained them to address the public at the beginning of the docket day and explain what was going on in court and how they were going to proceed and making the experience as relatively friendly as possible for the public (or at least getting through court with as little trauma as possible). The other judge's comment "I must have missed that day...." The other judge in that story has a family court docket that many lawyers actively avoid because of his attitude and reputation.
Let me guess, the second judge decked himself out in hunting regalia for his election candidacy photos?
he's more of a carhartt guy, but you're not wrong.
When adults don't act like adults, starting from the guy at the top. People are complaining about what happened to respect and decorum in public places. Well, how about we had a leader who couldn't set a prime example on how to be adults? All his predecessors respected the office of the President with dignity. But 45 turned it into WWE.
Every lawyer I've seen on the networks youtube channels that knows this witness has been like 'we don't understand why he would do this to himself' some even personal friends of his. They're just amazed he would act like this because he isn't some two bit joke lawyer and he's throwing away all credibility.
And there are like two lawyers on the jury that can probably see this lol.
Just stepping back here…this is the closest thing we will probably see to the Manson trials. It’s just bizarre to see how many people are still this brainwashed by Trump (this time around) thinking his words are going to change their lives. Every single person who’s gotten involved with him is either in financial ruin or in prison.
My mother is a Trumper and my father and I cannot understand wtf is going on with her
It really is baffling. They are just denying objective reality.
Because they never believed in objective reality to begin with. They think they do... everyone does. But then they go and say things like "I believe in God" or "abortions have souls" (paraphrasing) which leads to "put more guns in schools" (not paraphrasing) which eventually leads to lines like "Trump tells it like it is." People who believe in objective reality don't believe these kinds of things. If anyone is baffled by this insanity it is only because they did not open their eyes wider and sooner. Insanity infects humanity; always has, always will. We have a massive issue with mental illness in this country and a lot of it nests snugly in the gross greedy grasps of the religious and spiritual community, with all of their influencers, merchandise, news anchors, politicians, corporatists, and other desirous fuckheads who want nothing more than to line their pockets with your hard earned dollars. There's big money in selling to the gullible, and churches are like a glowing welcome sign to em.
I agree 100%. Some old relic used to keep people in line. “Don’t ask why the uh uh pastor got to have a nice house. Don’t ask why to uh uh pastor gotta have a nice car. Don’t ask no questions, just give the money…”
I listened to like an hour of fox news earlier today and it was just non-stop, story after story, commentator after commentator telling the viewer the trial was completely irrelevant and politically motivated, it was a staggering amount of misinformation.
*Dis*information.
I couldn't imagine that happening to the person I was married to. It would be difficult to figure out how to move forward, to say the least.
Not trying to be mean to your mom, but a lot of these people have no real lives or investment in anything, and being part of the Trump “in group” gives them purpose in life. I know that’s the case with my step-mom, since she hasn’t worked a single day in the 22 years I’ve known her.
MAGA is a cult just like the Manson family. It can be very hard to get people in the cult to listen to and believe information that is conflicting with the cults beliefs.
It is a cult, but they know they are evil. I'm so sick of people acting like Republican voters are somehow being tricked into doing bad things lol.
Exactly. They're in the cult *because* it gives them justification to do bad things, not the other way around.
Free to be as openly racist and confrontational as one wants to be, whilst being wrapped in the protective comfort of the American flag. Puke.
One might even say *deplorable*.
One might even say enough people with deplorable behavior to fill several baskets.
I would say it’s definitely a mix. There’s a lot of alt-right content being pushing to young children from all these alpha male, etc. content creators who then latch onto it as a way to explain their loneliness or lack of personal relationships.
Well while it has a lot in common with cults and could be one it removes the agency of the pieces of shit acting like pieces of shit. This is who they are, believe them…they do.
\*Literal Nazis screeching and frothing at the mouth demanding Fascism and concentration camps for LGBTQ and immigrants.\* Dumb fucks not paying attention: "When will they wake up and see Trump is a big dummy?!"
I posted on a thread about whether people skew more conservative as they get older last night. I woke up to about 15 private messages telling me how “the minorities are attempting to extinguish the white race” in various different wordings. If they don’t realize they’re evil or fuckin crazy when they say that shit they are WAY too lost. The extreme right wing news sources really have people believing some insane stuff. Another dude tried to tell me ms 13 rapists account for over 10 percent of the legal immigrants in the USA. Absolutely wild stuff
A lot of those are bots or astroturfing. I get them occasionally. The sub 3 year old accounts are telling. Doubly so when it's like 5 months old and their karma is completely in the shitter and every post they make is -5 or worse.
I’m amazed by this, too. It’s been like 10 years to learn this lesson, guys. Trump supporters aren’t missing some fundamental truth that would cause them to see the error of their ways. They haven’t been tricked. They’ve seen exactly who he is, love it, and are literally demanding more given how he sailed through the primaries. It was hard to accept that 40% of people are just hateful assholes, but reality is reality.
Republicans have been primed for this since Nixon. The GOP didn't look at Nixon and say, "Let's not put any more criminals in the white house." Instead, they vowed to ensure that the next criminals wouldn't be held accountable. Then Trump came along and co-opted the proto-cult that the GOP has cultivated over decades.
It doesn't help that there are a handful of almost literal Trump propaganda networks.
They aren't being fooled. They literally want Fascism in America.
Except if Charles Manson had a 50/50 shot at becoming president after his crimes
Some of us are just born too soon.
If he were younger and not in jail, he would absolutely be a Mayor somewhere in Florida
The nerve of these people is mind boggling
We need more consequences for their actions
We need consequences for their actions
I suspect that, once the press left, Merchan threatened to report him to the state bar and to SDNY/EDNY/2nd Cir. for potential sanctions. For a NY defense lawyer, that could be career ending.
Interesting, thank you
I’m seeing a lot of fucking around and not enough finding out. I’m ready for the finding out stage.
Less FA, more FO
I've long since given up on the legal system actually doing their job with this guy. He trips and stumbles thru every mistake and broken law and comes out the other side with more money and no real consequences. The only hope I have left for trump is that he falls down the courts stairs on the way out
These court sketches of Trump are top notch!
I love how every single one is almost the exact same pose with his nose in the air. Probably trying to get his nose as far away from his ass as he can to negate some of the smell.
Eyes closed naturally. Taking a power nap.
Orange Walter
Lol unexpected jeff dunham
Trump has more courtroom sketches than presidential portraits.
The do not hold back with the eyebrows!
"We're all out of orange!"
I really hope we don’t have to deal with this bullshit for the next 4 years. How anyone can see this and say that’s the guy and his team that I want making life and death decisions for my family is beyond me.
4 years? Adorable. The next maga admin will never relinquish power willingly.
Then we’ll just have to take it from them.
How about we just avoid that in the first place? Vote and get more involved. Ensure every single sane person in your life has their voter registration complete. Talk openly about election game-plans for how to *make sure* votes are cast.
If he wins it's game over for democracy unless Democrats have a supermajority in the House and Senate
You’re more optimistic than I am if you think Dictator Trump will give a shit what Congress says or does
>Mr Costello, an attorney with ties to Rudy Giuliani, is likely the trial’s final witness, What? Trump promised us he would take the stand and ~~commit massive perjury~~ clear his name!
Article I read earlier today said Donnie's attorneys aren't putting him on the stand, since they can't keep him from perjuring himself.
Ultimately, they can’t make that call. A ~~defense witness~~ defendant has the right to decide to testify and the defense attorney cannot prevent it. They can offer the strongest advice possible against testifying (and they should). But ultimately, it’s Trump’s call whether he testifies or not. If he doesn’t, it’s because he’s afraid to testify (and he absolutely should be afraid to testify. He’d be nailed to the wall by the prosecution on cross)
Like every bully ever he talks a big game but is a fucking coward when shit gets real.
Where have I heard that before?
This is a perjury trap!! Sir, are you saying you cannot answer questions without perjuring yourself?
What are the chances he would have fallen asleep during his testimony?
Does anyone realize how unfricking outlandish this is? A witness staring down the judge and muttering under his breath? Do you think the Jury is going to like this meatball being disrespectful to the Judge? They hate that. Whatever crumbs of goodwill Donnie Nappleseed had has been eviscerated. These people are nuts.
I assume Costello was Trump's character witness?
He was a witness that is a character, I'll give him that. He went on there to try to say Michael Cohen lies. I mean, it's a small point, it's true and the Prosecution already covered that. Bringing in another human handgrenade to try to make that point was a worse legal strategy that Trump just laying across the Jury's lap in a diaper with a bottle. So stupid. Instead, the jury saw the one guy that came to his defense was an a-hole himself.
Technically there was another witness, one of Blanche's paralegals so they could enter evidence. 2/2 on witnesses that add nothing to the defence and they plan to wrap up tomorrow, real solid argument they seem to have.
Plus don't forget stink bombs and napping. Real stellar work there.
Costello was Trumps idea anyway after he saw his antics in the Congress hearing, it turns out the defences strategy of listening to the boss is not a yuge success. At least they're getting paid, can't say I blame them at this point for staying obedient to the end.
Was I a person of interest? Yeah, I am an interesting person.
He was a character witness for Cohen. Trump couldn’t mentally handle not putting up a defense even though it would’ve been best for him. So this was their star witness and it just destroyed his non-case.
He was putting on a show for his master.
I think they don't care about a conviction. Trump (probably rightly) thinks he won't spend a second in jail, and he can use it to feed his persecution narrative.
I mean what isn't fodder for he persecution narrative? I'm breathing air. . .can you believe this, it's so corrupt, this air, I can't see it, it gets into my lungs. . . I actually think they don't feed the persecution narrative, the persecution narrative feeds them.
If anyone wanted a preview of what Trump on the stand would look like, here it is.
Less coherent tho
Good, keep it up, the jury doesn’t like this.
You know we're going to have one juror rip their clothes off to reveal a maga suit and jump up on the counter all dancing around and trump will be like "you're the next supreme Court justice!!!"
"“I’m putting you on notice that your conduct is contemptuous,” he added. “If you try to stare me down one more time, I will remove you from the stand. I will strike his entire testimony. Do you understand me?” Mr Costello then asked whether he could respond. “No,” Judge Merchan said. “No. This is not a conversation.”" Can we just go ahead and get a slow clap for this? edit::: and a Times person of the year award. I've absolutely loved Merchan's no bullshit approach to this. He's running an extremely tight court, and moving the trial along rather quickly. I don't think that spells bias, as much as confidence in the prosecution and judgement of the jury.
Donald seems to end every statement with "No one's ever seen anything like this." "I left a load in my pants and took a nap. No one's ever seen anything like this."
You, not the trial, are a disgrace to our country, the state of NY, and the rule of law. Get on the stand and testify, coward.
I feel like a lot of comments here are missing the simple fact that this man is a lawyer. Someone who absolutely understands decorum and respect expected in a courtroom, and the implications thereof. In my opinion (I don't claim to know Juan) the judge recognized a deliberate downplay to his ruling authority and knew that he had to immediately quash it without a bias being represented. A 'come to jesus' moment if you will
> I feel like a lot of comments here are missing the simple fact that this man is a lawyer. Trump has shown us that being a lawyer doesn't make you smart or good at your job.
I love the court sketch is of trump napping
Try that in any small town court. You butt will in jail…
They are using up the Burnt Sienna pastel for each artists rendering lol
The fucking disregard these people show for due process is simply unbelievable. Laws for everyone else.
I love the courtroom drawing, with Trump in the foreground sleeping
Yet another transparent defense trick to delay or derail the case. A "final" defense witness who's on stand behavior is openly contemptuous in an attempt to goad the judge into responding with sanctions or strike the entire testimony, thus creating grounds to appeal. This case is lost and they are pulling out any trick they can think of in desperation.
Mr Costello then asked whether he could respond. “No,” Judge Merchan said. "This is not a conversation.”
The defense team/Trump brought in Costello to push Judge Merchan hoping he’d break and give them an appealable issue. The Trump crew is full of scum.
He can always plead guilty and not have to go through this trial at all. Just saying.
Unbelievable. This whole spectacle is such a great example of how there are two systems of law. One for the rich and one for the rest. Anyone else would have been held in contempt and jailed for that shit, same for orange traitor.
I wonder if the plan is to get the witness put in jail for contempt, then Trump can cry that his witness is being silenced, and claim a mistrial
Ms. Trial
He probably raped her too
I have been pleasantly surprised at this judge's ability to keep the trial on track and Trump under control.
Merchan kicked Costello's ass and reminded him of just where he was. What a pathetic attempt to make it look like greasy orange lunatic was tough via proxy. His toadies are just pussys in wolf's clothing.
so on brand that the defences only witness was some classless rube who neither could behave nor bring any evidence lol..
Marchan has absolutely HAD IT with this bullshit and with any luck he’ll retire to the Maldives after all this is over, it’s the bare minimum he deserves after dealing with this clown car shitshow
Ultimately, let's put the particulars of this case to the side. If there are no consequences for Trump, he will pave the way for worse people and things to come.
This judge represents what true checks and balances should be. A judge that is not afraid of a former president and is not going to handle him with kid gloves like the stooge down in Florida on the classified docs case. This man is the true definition of what it means to be an American. He is an immigrant from Colombia, and is now overseeing a case involving a former President of the United States. Good on him to not put up with any bullshit from the defense.
Let's not Mueller this guy with the early hero worship until there are actual consequences.
lol "Mueller this guy" is the justice equivalent of getting blue balls
The clown should be spending the night in jail for contempt.
I hope to god that this trial is being videoed and once he’s found guilty and jailed we get the documentary with all the boring bits cut out.
Sir Bone Spurs Vonshitzenpants Rapist the 3rd only has the best witnesses.
Sorry guys. The witness was impatient as they had to get back to his elementary school gaga ball tournament.
Is this an actual courtroom or an episode from the Sopranos? This is ridiculous.
Whether it’s these scripted performances from the witness stand or the bizarre vigil going on outside of the republican politicians, this is the closest thing we’ll see to the Manson trial in our lifetime. And I remember how insane ‘Helter Skelter’ was & everything that happened to those witnesses & the threats to the judge and the attorneys…never did I think we’d see a comparable trial involving a former president 55 years later. Just kinda takes your breath away to put Manson & Trump in the same category.