‘Total fool’: Trump attorney Todd Blanche mocked as he tries to block key photo evidence from jury
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: In a dramatic courtroom showdown during Donald Trump's high-profile criminal hush money trial, the former president's defense team, led by Todd Blanche, fought tooth and nail to prevent the admission of a critical piece of photographic evidence.
However, their efforts resulted in failure as the evidence was ultimately admitted, delivering a significant blow to Trump's legal defense strategy and strengthening the prosecution's case, as reported by Mediaite.
Todd Blanche visibly angry and upset over damning photo's inclusion
The tension in the courtroom escalated when Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, returned to testify against Trump. Cohen's testimony was pivotal, and the prosecution presented a photo from October 2016 showing Trump with his bodyguard, Keith Schiller.
According to reports from the New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonah Bromwich, this photo stands key to corroborating Cohen’s claims about Trump’s awareness of the hush money payment.
Bromwich reported, "The prosecutors have found pictures of Trump with his bodyguard Keith Schiller on October 24, 2016, right around 7.57 PM." This image directly challenged the defense’s argument that only Cohen had spoken to Schiller that night, not Trump.
Blanche argued vehemently against the photo’s inclusion, suggesting that it undermined his extensive efforts to discredit Cohen’s testimony. Bromwich noted, "This evidence would go some way toward defanging an argument that Todd Blanche spent a lot of time on."
Despite Blanche’s staunch objections, Judge Juan Merchan ruled against his motion to exclude the photo. Eventually, the prosecution and defense agreed to admit the photo under Cohen’s testimony, leading to a heated exchange in the courtroom.
According to courtroom observers, Blanche's voice "rose into a higher register as he argued his point," and he complained about the prosecution's motion, exclaiming, "That's not the way a trial is supposed to work, judge."
The photo's inclusion removed the need for a new witness, C-SPAN executive Robert Browning, to testify about the contents of the picture in question.
Todd Blanche's failed attempt to block damaging photo evidence sparks online trolling
As news of Blanche's failed attempt to block the damaging photo evidence spread, social media users wasted no time in ridiculing him.
One user quipped, "Down goes Blanche," while another remarked, "It's safe to assume anyone who associates with Trump is a crook, a liar, and a thief."
A third user wrote, "When you're fighting to keep evidence from the jury you're not winning," while a fourth declared, "Blanche's entire defense was destroyed by a CSPAN archivist. Great job!"
Others piled on with scathing commentary, with one user stating, "Blanche makes a total fool of himself in front of the jury," and another claiming, "Blanche proves to be an even bigger idiot than we thought he was."
Yet another user proclaimed, "Blanche has been a complete disaster for dementia Donald," while an eighth user noted, "That was the only point Trump's lawyer scored in the whole trial. Makes sense that it would be undone."
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