Defense attorney Randy Zelin criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecution of former President Donald Trump on CNN Tuesday. Zelin argued that Bragg failed to prove Trump’s guilt in the high-stakes case accusing the former president of falsifying business records to conceal a payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
During ‘CNN News Central,’ Zelin criticized the prosecution’s approach, citing a lack of conclusive evidence linking Trump to his alleged crimes.“There is reasonable doubt all over this case,” Zelin argued. In his analysis, Zelin further illustrated his point by comparing the decision-making process in legal judgments to everyday life choices that require significant certainty. “Anytime a human being needs to make an important decision in life, if you have enough information, you go ahead. If not, you seek more—that’s reasonable doubt,” he said.
“How did Michael Cohen get away with stealing $30,000… and make $4 million from this? He thought he’d be chief of staff; he’s a fixer. If the plumber comes to my house to fix my leak, I could be home. That doesn’t mean I know how he’s doing it and what it’s taking to be fixed. Stormy Daniels—let’s hold a pity party for her,” said Zelin.
Prosecutors have alleged that Trump was involved in an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election by suppressing damaging information, including a concealed payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump, who is present in court for the closing arguments, has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and has denied any affair with Daniels. The closing arguments took most of the day; the defense rested around 2:30 p.m. EDT.
“It is an important day,” added CNN legal analyst Michael Moore earlier in the segment. “It’s a day… for the first time that the lawyers get to argue their position. They’ve been able to put on their evidence. They’ve been able to bring out documents. They’ve been able to make some objections and to sort of give some bluster in the courtroom, but to actually get to tell these jurors out of your own mouth what it is.”
In order to convict, the jury must be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump either falsified or directed the falsification of business records with the specific intent to commit or conceal another crime. The verdict must be unanimous in order to be valid.
Todd Blanche, Trump’s lead attorney, has vigorously defended the former president, arguing that Trump committed no crime. He questioned the credibility of the prosecution’s main witness, Michael Cohen, calling him unreliable. Blanche maintained that the checks and related records were accurate and asserted that the prosecution had failed to prove their case. He also criticized Cohen’s testimony, at times describing his claims as “absurd.”