Judge Juan Merchan denied Trump defense attorneys’ request for a mistrial and a modification of the gag order on Thursday, arguing that the former president should be able to defend himself against Stormy Daniels’ salacious and «prejudicial» testimony.
Judge Juan Merchan denied Trump defense attorneys’ request for a mistrial and a modification of the gag order on Thursday, arguing that the former president should be able to defend himself against Stormy Daniels’ salacious and «prejudicial» testimony.
Trump defense attorney Todd Blanche first requested a mistrial on Tuesday after Daniels’ first day on the stand but was denied. Merchan did, however, admit she was a difficult witness to control and said much of her testimony was «unnecessary» and «irrelevant» to the charges.
Trump attorneys on Thursday again requested a mistrial.
Blanche said that the prosecution asked Daniels «a whole host of questions» that never should have been asked, pointing to questions about the porn actress’ childhood and her alleged interaction with Trump. Blanche argued they were «things that are irrelevant to the facts of this case.»
Blanche reminded that the case is not about sex, and again stressed that Daniels’ testimony was «extraordinarily prejudicial for the jury to hear.»
Blanche continued that many of the questions asked by the prosecution were «prejudicial.»
«It is so dangerous, so prejudicial, it borders on a problem from the beginning,» Blanche said, adding that Daniels’ testimony and story about the alleged sexual encounter kept changing.
Defense attorney Susan Necheles declared earlier Thursday that Daniels «made it up.»
Meanwhile, Blanche was referring to salacious and sexually explicit questions asked of Daniels during questioning by the prosecution, stressing that the questions had nothing to do with the alleged falsification of business records—which are the only charges Trump is facing,
Prosecutor Josh Steinglass defended Daniels and her testimony, saying that it «is not a change of story.
