"Judge Engoron basically gave him the rope, and he hung himself," ex-prosecutor says.

Former President Donald Trump’s Thursday courtroom tirade could backfire, legal experts warn.

Trump attorney Chris Kise asked Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing Trump’s New York fraud trial, to allow Trump to speak on his own behalf during closing arguments. Engoron asked Trump if he would agree to stick to the facts and relevant law but the former president launched into a lengthy diatribe, accusing the judge and New York Attorney General Letitia James of waging a “political witch hunt” and demanding “damages” because the real “fraud is on me.”

During one portion of his rant, Trump referred to a key allegation in James’ lawsuit alleging that the former president’s Trump Tower penthouse was valued at three times larger than it actually is.

“They made a mistake. It was an honest mistake,” Trump said.

James’ team allowed Trump to speak until the judge ultimately shut him down and pleaded for Kise to “control your client.”

“There may be a reason that James’ staff didn’t interrupt,” wrote NBC News legal analyst Lisa Rubin. “The AG’s office may have struck gold because some of what Trump said was so damaging to him, especially his explanation of the triplex square footage ‘error.’”

  • squiblet@kbin.social
    1·
    6 months ago

    Of course Trump wanted to do one of his usual “omg witch hunt” speeches. He didn’t seem to realize that the trial was already over, and in the penalty phase, or that the speech would not be on TV. The email chain between Trump’s incompetent lawyer (who had previously been reported on as one of his ‘good’ ones) was hilarious but also just sad, I mean, the guy can’t even be bothered to capitalize words starting sentences and the request to ‘delay until Jan 29th because Melania’s parent died’ is ludicrously transparent. Anyway, his lawyer needs to be fined or formally censured some more.

    • TwatMcTwatterson@lemmings.world
      0·
      6 months ago

      I am convinced his 'incompetent" lawyers are just a means for appeal. He will say his defense was inadequate and that his lawyers did not do their due diligence to give adequate defense or some such bullshit.

      • IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        6 months ago

        I’m not sure “I’m such a fucking deadbeat that no reputable lawyer will go near me” is a winning proposition.

  • xantoxis@lemmy.world
    1·
    6 months ago

    The sentence, “Former President Donald Trump’s Thursday courtroom tirade could backfire,” is so fucking funny. I’m sorry, was this a strategy?? Did a team of legal experts come up with a plan which included a senile fascist screaming at a judge for 6 minutes? Did that seem like it was going to go in his favor???

    • Boddhisatva@lemmy.world
      1·
      6 months ago

      Apparently so. Rolling Stone ran an article where they claim to have been informed by sources that the rant was rehearsed.

      According to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to Rolling Stone, in recent weeks Trump had told several close allies of his intention to personally deliver a closing argument, and at times previewed some of the things he wanted to say before the judge. One of the sources describes it as the ex-president informally “rehearsing” his spite-filled court monologue for his friends.

      This idiot thinks he’s in a courtroom drama.