Me. Welcome to the beat. Im ari melber and we have a packed show tonight. Michael cohen is here. You know the name. Lanny davis joins us later tonight as we track what could become a verdict that would hinge more than anything else on Michael Kahns testimony and by the end of the hour, al sharpton is here for a cultural moment unlike anything weve ever tried on the beat before. You see him there was james brown. The reverend is here joined by an artist making his big debut tonight, henry mack. Our top show story shows why verdict is on the way and trumps criminal trial, his Defense Lawyers resting their case today telling the judge theyve completed their mission without ever having to call trump to testify, as is their right. They finished after less than two days in control. Trumps lawyers call just two witnesses compared to the 19 witnesses the d. A. Called, some of whom you can see right here, the star witness cohen, former trump aid hicks, Stormy Daniels, a Tabloid Chief and an arr
Donald trump did not take the stand. Closing arguments are now set for one week from today. Then the case will go to the jury. My colleague has all the details. Reporter tonight, the defense resting their case with former President Trump choosing not to take the stand in their first criminal trial. Jurors left today hearing only from robert costello, a lawyer who briefly advised Michael Cohen. Prosecutors trying to Paint Costello as a paint ally to prevent cohen from flipping on mr. Trump. Confronted with emails, suggesting he was frustrated. He refused to hire him including one where he wrote he continues to slow play us and the president. Is he totally nuts . Hes playing with the most powerful man on the planet. Costello suggested monday, cohens entire story, that former President Trump plotted to silence Stormy Daniels to protect his campaign was all a lie. Costello telling jurors that Michael Cohen said numerous times that President Trump knew nothing about those payments and that
And again that matters. Because the question being raised whether past the point of anger which hes allowed to feel and into something that involves a vendetta where the truth might be sacrificed. Or lied about that history. He said he did ask to be President Trumps personal attorney, but not a different rule of general counsel. It went on and on like this today, if you will. Ke this just like it did the other day. And so its possible or dilute the larger. Defense attorneys are trying to make, but that they are trying to raise. Its possible on the other hand, and i was watching Michael Cohen go through it, that the cuts can slowly eat away as the key witness to Donald Trumps State Of Mind. Another way to put this is without the other money guy, Allen Weisselberg, who is in jail can certainly make trump look bad here in the real world. Others can factor that in, the guys have been to jail twice now. Without the cfo they needed the other trump aid who knew about the state of his mind. In
Mitt romney on our youtube page. Go to msnbc. Com stephanie. And guess what . We have a great lineup for the night cap. If you have a hot date and cant watch, youre in luck. You can catch it again on saturday at 11 00 p. M. Eastern right here on msnbc. And on that note, i wish you all a very good night. From all of our colleagues across the networks of nbc news, thanks for staying up late. Ill see you at the end of tomorrow. After another day of major testimony in Donald Trumps first criminal trial. Michael cohen, trumps former lawyer and fixer was back on the stand today. Facing crossexamination from Donald Trumps current lawyer todd blanche. For anyone who is counting mr. Cohen has been on the stand for more than 14 hours with more to come on monday. And nearly all day today, todd blanche tried to undermine mr. Cohens credibility as a witness. Blanche spent half the morning recalling different episodes when Michael Cohen lied publicly. Lied to congress. Lying in court. Lying about wh