The jury note contains 4 requests: (1) David Pecker testimony regarding phone convo during investor meeting, (2) Pecker Testimony related to McDougal's life rights agreement, (3) Pecker testimony regarding Trump Tower meeting, and (4) Cohen testimony regarding Trump Tower meeting (via Anna Bower)
Kyle Cheney jumps on the speculation train early, but why not:
"Apply all the caveats here, but first instinct is this is not welcome news for Trump. Prosecutors spent a lot of their lengthy close focusing on value of Pecker's testimony. This is the roadmap they asked jurors to follow."
Judge Merchan asks if the laptop the jurors were given containing exhibits into evidence has Wi-Fi access. When told that it does, he asks if the Wi-Fi can be disabled. (via Anna Bower)
NO VERDICT TODAY: Judge Merchan sends the jury home, since the court is working on compiling the testimony the jury asked for, which he says will take 30 min to read back. Tomorrow deliberations will restart at 9:30 a.m. with the readback of the transcript, plus the jury instructions.
JUSTICE MERCHAN: We received another note. He reads it. The note describes what the jury wants to hear from jury instructions. Justice Merchan says he interprets the note as the jurors wanting to hear page 7-35 of the jury instructions. (via Anna Bower, Lawfare)
Justice Merchan says the jurors also requested headphones for audio.
(This suggests the jurors want to re-listen to some or all of the audio recordings that were admitted into evidence.)
(via Anna Bower, Lawfare)
Those of you who have been following since yesterday will be relieved to know that Judge Merchan has now confirmed for the record that the jurors' laptop does NOT have Wi-Fi access
The jurors, having now heard their instructions again and the requested transcript excerpts, have filed out of Judge Merchan’s courtroom to resume their deliberations (via Anna Bower, Lawfare)
Trump remains largely expressionless as the court officer reads the jury's verdict back to them to confirm. Blanche confirms that he would like to have the jurors polled. We go down the line starting with Juror 1. (via Tyler McBrien, Lawfare)
Merchan to the jury: I want to thank you very much for your service in this case, it was a long time to be away from your jobs and your families, engaged in a very difficult task. I admire your dedication and hard work, he says. (via Tyler McBrien, Lawfare)
Merchan tells the jury they are now free to discuss the case with anyone, and they're just as free not to.
He mentions he'd like to meet with them as a group shortly to thank them for their service and get their feedback, but he cannot discuss the details of the case. (via Tyler McBrien, Lawfare)
The jury having left the room, Trump's attorney Todd Blanche adjusts the mic and says: There's no basis and no way the jury could've reached a verdict based on the testimony of Cohen—he lied, there was perjury committed—there's no reason the court should allow a verdict. (via Tyler McBrien, Lawfare)
Merchan: I'm sure you misspoke when you said "knowing," not suggesting that I know that anyone committed perjury. Blanche says yes. Steinglass stands, respectfully disagrees, and says there's more than enough evidence.
Defense's motion is DENIED. (via Tyler McBrien, Lawfare)
Literally the jury instructions said a guilty verdict requires them to find there is evidence supporting it other than his testimony, so this is nonsense from Blanche.
