so, if the judge takes the bait and jails him, i think there is some concern that the judge is taking his eye off of the ball. that is getting the case tried to and averted. >> i always thought the road to hell is paved with trying to figure out what trump will do. >> his supporters do not believe in the legitimacy of the charges. these are not in dispute by trump unlike mar-a-lago where trump is running on that. president of the united states you can do it. he is running for president alongside the other insurrectionists. he is not running on his alleged affair with stormy daniels or mcdougal or the checks haddie wrote from the oval office, he is not running on the facts because these are not facts he wants throughout >> no, and even worse that than. all he is looking to do is create symbols for more people to buy into the narrative he
alleged crimes. this is all about a cover-up in 2016, donald trump paid $130,000 to stormy daniels, the adult film star, to prevent her from going public with allegations of an affair he denies the affair the alleged crime that prosecutors theory of this case is all about the falsification of business records at the trump organization how trump org pay back michael cohen, trump's attorney at the time, paid him back for that hush money payment according to the prosecutor's the trump organization and donald trump at the head falsified business records falsely suggesting that those were routine legal retainers and legal services when really it was a hush money payment intended to prevent the voters from laurie burning about stormy daniels
retainers and legal services when really it was a hush money payment intended to prevent and the voters from learning about stormy daniels allegations. >> it's a novel legal theory that will be tested and under the microscope for perhaps the next six weeks. >> that's how long were expecting things to go? >> so opening statements are monday and eventually we will get into witness testimony and there is a big cast of characters that are expected to swear to tell the truth in front of the jury. >> michael cohen himself, in many ways is the star witness of this case. his credibility will be crucial. there's also stormy daniels. she is expected to tell her side of the story. there's also hope hicks, a trump 2016 campaign official karen mcdougal, who is a another woman who alleged an affair with donald trump and then there's also david. he was involved with the national enquirer or the tabloid that is
prosecutor's, that they would quote unquote, catch and kill negative stories about trump. basically paying people off, buying their silence agreeing to purchase the rights to their story and burying it so that the voters would never learn of those allegations. and the voters did did not actually learn about the alleged stormy daniels affair until after the election after trump had made his way to the white house. so that's what we're expecting from opening statements. the prosecutors will be telling the jury their side of the story for the very first time. and of course, trump's defense attorneys have their own opportunity as well it all starts new york city monday morning marshall cohen, cnn, washington nauta via lunar as a criminal defense attorney and film in new york prosecutors, she joins us now from london. good to have you with us. >> thank you. >> so the first day of a criminal trial of a former us president trump, of course,
agreed according to the prosecutor's, that they would quote unquote, catch and kill negative stories about trump basically paying people on off, buying their silence, agreeing to purchase the rights to their story and burying it so that the voters would never learn of those allegations. and the voters did did not actually learn about the alleged stormy daniels affair until after the election after trump had made his way to the white house. that's what we're expecting from opening statements. the prosecutors will be telling the jury their side of the story for the very first time. and of course, trump's defense attorneys have their own opportunity as well. it all starts new york city monday morning. marshall cohen, cnn washington. >> let's go deeper, look at the people deciding this case says martial mentioned you've got 12 jurors, seven men and five women, as well as six alternates from what we know. there's a fairly wide variety of educational and professional
we adjust hours away from opening statements in the first ever criminal trial of a former us president, donald trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts because alleged role in a hush money scheme to conceal an affair with adult film star stormy daniels each count is punishable by up to four years in prison and a source tells cnn and the prosecution's first witness will likely be david. the former publisher of the national enquirer, who was said to be a key player in the hush money plot. seen as moshe cohen gives us a closer look at several of the potential witnesses what's finally here, opening statements are expected to begin monday morning in new york city, in former president donald trump's hush money criminal trial. >> this is, of course, the very first time in american history that a former president is standing trial for alleged crimes. this is all about a
trump's historic hush money trial testimony from the first witness might also be given. mr. trump is accused of falsifying business records to hide an alleged affair with an adult film star. will her argus and prosecutors with the former president repeatedly violated a gag order and prosecutors allege he did so with the social media posts. u.s. service members in the middle east are on alert after lee's five rockets were launched from my rock into northern syria near a u.s. military base. no injuries or damage reported it is still unclear whether the base was the target it was the first report of an attack near or on u.s. forces in the region since early february. i am jon scott now back to "life, liberty & levin" ♪ ♪ welcome back america. we are here with brett tolman.
his new york city criminal hush money trial began. >> this is really a concerted witch hunt. >> reporter: trump is required to be in court daily, often stopping on his way in or out to rail against the case, accusing him of falsifying business records to hide an alleged affair ahead of the 2016 presidential election. he's pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts. the 12 jurors and 6 alternates chosen last week will be the first american jury to judge their former president. >> there are studies that say that 80% of jurors' minds are made up at the end of opening statements. and it's very difficult to change someone's mind if they've made that initial decision. >> reporter: prosecutors are also expected to call their first witness monday. so rikki, why don't we know who will be testifying tomorrow? >> judge merchan feels very strongly that if the witnesses are known to the defense and to
suspect anything. even though you are hopeful, you knew as soon as you picked up the phone, you knew. how does anybody look at somebody drowning and not help them? how do you do that? >> a perfect husband. a perfect father. a perfect mystery. >> they found the bow and mike was in and i. >> we thought he had an accident. >> this was hiding more than gators. >> mike was the only hunter who had gone overboard who had never been found. >> something done ahead of. >> there been so many wild stories. >> two lovers share a secret. >> he had this desire to have her. >> there was an affair for years. >> they can choose each other. >> you are waiting for that crack.
central to this alleged scheme according to the indictment. and cohen and trump met shortly after trump announced his campaign in 2015, and they all agreed according to the process tears that they would quote unquote, catch and kill negative stories about trump basically, paying people off buying their silence, agreeing to purchase the rights to their story and burying it so that the voters would never learn of those allegations. and the voters did did not actually learn about the alleged stormy daniels affair until after the election after trump had made his way to the white house. that's what we're expecting from opening statements. the prosecutors will be telling the jury their side of the story for the very first time. and of course, trump's defense attorneys have their own opportunity as well it all starts new york city monday morning. marshall cohen, cnn washington the nada via lunar