Jonathan Turley Explains Why Jury’s Requests May Be Bad News For Alvin Bragg

On Wednesday night, legal professor Jonathan Turley discussed with Sean Hannity on Fox News the jury’s curious requests during the first day of deliberations in Donald Trump’s high-stakes trial. The Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, has leveled 34 felony counts against Trump, primarily focusing on alleged falsifications of business records linked to election interference.

As the 12-member jury commenced deliberations yesterday, they sought clarifications on critical moments of the trial, requesting a repeat of testimony concerning Trump’s discussions on the life story rights of Karen McDougal and other significant meetings. These requests, according to Turley, might spell trouble for the prosecution despite appearing innocuous on the surface.

“The only reason why a jury would send out a request to hear the instructions again is if there’s a disagreement about what the instructions are, that indicates that there may be a conflict with jurors in that room about what their standard is, how they’re supposed to look at the evidence.” During the interview, Turley also pointed out a particular interest of the jury in the testimony related to Michael Cohen and the Trump Tower meetings, which he found particularly telling. The legal expert did not see these developments as necessarily favorable for Bragg’s team.

“You could have three groups of jurors who view the facts materially differently,” Turley explained. “They could disagree as to what crime was behind this effort to falsify business records and Merchan will still treat that as a unanimous verdict. That is pretty chilling for people that believe strongly in the criminal justice system and the very high standard of proof that’s required.”

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WATCH:

In New York, the jury is deciding the fate of Donald Trump in the landmark trial as they weigh whether the former president is guilty of 34 felony counts linked to falsifying business records. The case is one of several criminal challenges he faces while running for president again. On their second day of deliberations, the jurors revisited critical testimony from key witnesses Michael Cohen and David Pecker. They also reviewed parts of the judge’s instructions to ensure a thorough understanding of the case.

Each count in the jury’s verdict, guilty or not guilty, needs a unanimous decision. If a juror drops out, one of the six alternates, who have been present throughout the trial, will replace them. Trump is required to stay in the courthouse while the jury deliberates. Should the jury be unable to make a decision, they’ll notify the judge, who might push for further deliberation. A continued deadlock could lead to a mistrial, leaving it up to the prosecutors to consider a retrial.

A conviction would be historic as no former president has ever faced a felony conviction. Trump has been indicted on at least 88 charges across four separate criminal cases spanning Georgia, New York, Washington, DC, and Florida. Trump, steadfast in his innocence, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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