Jurors come into a case with a lot of preconceived opinions, and former President Donald Trump's resistance to testifying in his hush-money trial could influence their final decision, one legal expert said.
Trump is on trial in Manhattan for 34 counts around the falsification of business records around a hush money scandal involving an alleged affair.
On social media and in statements outside the courtroom, Trump claimed he couldn't testify in his own defense because of the gag order. Judge Juan Merchan has shot down Trump's false claims and has invited him to testify at his pleasure.
"I want to stress, Mr. Trump, that you have an absolute right to testify at trial if that is what you decide to do after consultation with your attorneys," the judge said, according to transcripts.
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The judge has also asked the jury not to follow the news about the case or look at conversations around the trial.
"Of course, the jury isn't supposed to know about all of the bombastic things [Trump] is saying outside of that courtroom," Ana Cabera explained on MSNBC. "But Paul, the jury likely knows who Trump is, and they know that he could have told his side of the story here."
Criminal defense attorney Paul Callan agreed jurors are well aware, but they were also told at the beginning of the trial that no defendant must testify in his or her own defense. That said,
"Here they're looking at the former president, the most powerful political leader on Earth known for giving two-hour speeches, railing in his own defense on a variety of subjects who never tells his side of the story," said Callan. "That's a bell that's kind of hard to unring. I've got to think a lot of those jurors are saying, why didn't he testify? But I will say if they follow the instructions of the court, it's not supposed to be held against Trump."
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'Bell that’s hard to unring': Expert thinks jurors are curious why Trump didn't testify youtu.be
