Donald Trump’s defence lawyers have rested their case — without the former president following through on a vow to testify — as the judge scheduled jury deliberations in the historic criminal trial for next week.
The trial has not been televised due to New York law, and experts are divided on whether the five weeks in court, more than 20 witnesses and often salacious testimony have damaged Trump politically.
But the looming verdict represents a moment of peril for Trump, less than six months before election day when he hopes to oust President Joe Biden from presidential seat and return to the White House.
“I think a great case was put on… It should be dismissed before you even have any verdict,” the Republican said outside court Tuesday.
“It’s very sad. But the good news is they’ve not proven the case. There is no crime.”
Judge Juan Merchan told jurors that closing arguments would take place next Tuesday when each side will make their pitch to the 12 jury members who will decide Trump’s fate.
“I will expect you will begin your deliberations hopefully at some point on Wednesday,” Merchan said.
After sending the jury home for a six-day break over a holiday weekend, the judge convened the opposing legal teams to grapple over instructions that the jurors will be given to reach a verdict.
The jury’s decision must be unanimous for either a conviction or an acquittal, or the case is headed for a mistrial.
Trump’s lawyers have battled hard to undermine testimony against the former president, who is accused of illegally covering up hush money paid to a porn star over an alleged encounter that could have derailed his successful 2016 White House bid against Hillary Clinton.
