President Donald Trump’s lawyers have pushed for a mistrial over the testimony of adult star Stormy Daniels during the so-called “hush money” trial in New York.
The defense motioned for a mistrial during Tuesday’s court proceedings.
After the court’s lunch break, Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche told Judge Juan Merchan that Daniels’ testimony Tuesday morning was prejudicial.
Merchan, a Democrat, said a mistrial was not warranted, however.
The judge claimed he was doing everything he could to control the witness.
Merchan stated that he once objected to Daniel’s testimony himself.
“I agree that it would have been better if some of these things had been left unsaid,” Merchan said.
Blanche said the prosecution is trying to inflame the jury with Daniels’ testimony.
The defense argues that Daniels’ testimony is filled with inflammatory statements that are not relevant to the case.
Blanche said it is prejudicial testimony and evidence.
The lawyer noted that Daniels has been trying to sell her story about an alleged consensual sexual encounter since 2016.
Blanche said Daniels’ testimony on Tuesday was about “consent and danger.”
He added that her statements in court are “not the story that she was selling in 2016.”
Blanche also said that Daniels is testifying about consent.
That kind of testimony “makes it impossible to come back from,” Blanche said.
The defense “objected as best we could but she was able to say what she said,” he explained.
Blanche questioned how the defense could “come back from this” in a way that could be “fair” to President Trump.
“We believe there should be a mistrial,” Blanche said.
“Or that this witness’ testimony is excluded and extremely limited.”
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger says the defense was fully briefed on Daniels’ testimony in the motions prior to trial.
Hoffinger argued that Daniels’ testimony was probative to Trump’s alleged intent.
Hoffinger said the defense is attacking Daniels’ credibility, and argued there is “no basis for this.”
During the break, Trump posted to his Truth Social account, without naming Daniels.
“THE PROSECUTION, WHICH HAS NO CASE, HAS GONE TOO FAR,” Trump posted.
“MISTRIAL!”
Before lunch, Merchan said “The degree of detail we’re going into is unnecessary,” pointing to Daniel’s testimony.
The judge asked prosecutor Susan Hoffinger to move things along.
