Trump hush money trial: Judge rejects mistrial request from defence lawyer over Stormy Daniels testimony

The judge overseeing the historic criminal trialof former United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday (May 7) rejecteda mistrial request by Trump's lawyer who argued that adult film actorStormy Daniels' testimonyabout the 2006 encounter was irrelevant and wouldinflame the jury.

Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche asked for a mistrial hours afterriveting testimony by Daniels, who told the jury about the alleged sexual encounter with Trump and a $130,000 hush money payment.

The former president is on trial based on the charges stemming from hush money allegedly paid to Daniels, 45, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

WATCH |Trump Hush Money Trial: Key witness Stormy Daniels takes the stand

The prosecutors have alleged that Trump falsified business records to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to Daniels in the run-up to the election.

Trump, 77, earlier in the day, said he was “recently told” who the witness would be on Tuesday and complained he should have been given more notice, reported the AP.

The former president returned to the Manhattan courthouse a day after Judge Juan Merchan said some of Trump’s posts violated a gag order which restricts him from speaking about the witnesses, jurors, and others involved in the case.

Judge Merchan said that the adult film actor would be allowed to testify about the basic details of the encounter and prosecutor Susan Hoffinger assured him that the description of the alleged sexual act would be "really basic" and not going to "involve descriptions of genitalia or anything of that nature".

The adult film actor, in line with standard court proceedings, was asked if she saw Trump in the courtroom and to identify him. Subsequently, she pointed at the former US president sitting at the defence table during her testimony.

Also Read |Trump Hush Money Trial Day 11: Hope Hicks' testimony and other key takeaways

During her testimony, the 45-year-old also said that Trump dared her to spank him, and she obliged.

"That's bullshit," Trump appeared to say in court, according to Reuters.

Day 13 of the hush money trial

1. Blancheasked for a mistrial after Daniel's testimony about the alleged sexual encountersaying that she violated the rulesestablished for her taking the witness stand. However, the judge rejected hisrequest and said while he agreed withBlanche, he blamed the defence fornot raising an objectionwhen she was testifying.

2.Before they had sex, Daniels said, Trumpblocked the door, but said she didn't feel physically or verbally threatened. She said there waswhat she perceived to be an imbalance of power. He even told her"this is the only way you're getting out of the trailer park".

3.Daniels testified that she briefly asked about Trump’s wife, Melania, in the hotel room and called her beautiful. To which Trump responded that they did not sleep in the same room, she said.

4.The adult film actortestified that the former US president was wearing satin pyjamas when he welcomed her to his hotel suite.

5.Daniels saidthat she started appearing in adult films at age 23 and soon was writing and directing them.

Also Watch |Judge warns Trump of potential jail time for violating gag order

6.Speaking about how she met Trump, Daniels said she met him during a brief introduction at a meet and greet with adult actors and golfers. "He said, 'Oh, you direct too - you must be the smart one,'" she testified.

7.Daniels began her testimony by talking about her upbringing in the US state of Louisiana and how she did ballet growing up and then started exotic dancing in high school.

8.Trump and Daniels ignored each other as she took the stand and is sworn in. The adult film star, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, took the stand wearing all black, with black-framed glasses.

9. The prosecution argued the testimony was needed to complete the story and establish Daniels’ credibility. “The people call Stormy Daniels,” said prosecutor Hoffinger.

10.Sally Franklin, an executive at Penguin Random House and the first witness of the day, took the stand earlier. Prosecutor Becky Mangold had her read excerpts from the 2004 volume “Trump: How to Get Rich” and his 2005 book “Trump: Think Like a Billionaire”.

(With inputs from agencies)