Before leaving for the weekend, Judge Juan Merchan told the lawyers to be prepared to give summations, also known as closing arguments, on Tuesday – meaning the jury could have the case as early as this week.
Prosecutors told Merchan they have no other witnesses to call after Michael Cohen is off the stand, and the defense said it plans to call one campaign finance expert, though that is not set in stone.
Donald Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche said the defense could still choose to call additional witnesses to challenge testimony, and Trump’s team maintains it has not made a decision on whether the former president will testify in his own defense.
There’s also the possibility, as CNN has reported, that former Cohen attorney Bob Costello could appear. Costello made an impression during a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing Wednesday where he repeatedly attacked Cohen and said “virtually every statement” Cohen made on the stand about Costello was a lie.
The other complicating factor is there are only three days of court next week leading up to the Memorial Day holiday.
“It’s not ideal for there to be a big lapse” between summations and when the jury will be given final instructions by the judge before beginning deliberations, Merchan told the lawyers on Thursday.
Merchan didn’t say what that would mean for next week’s schedule – an early start or going later was one option, he suggested – but it all indicates that the judge believes the jury could end up beginning deliberations this week.
