OK - now at #TrumpTrial April 25, National Enquirer's David Pecker direct examination will continue - but Justice Merchan's gag order contempt ruling before that? Inner City Press wrote the 1st booklet and will live tweet, thread belowamazon.com/dp/B0D2FJBVJB Trump has arrived, now sits whispering into ear of his lawyer Emil Bove. Poses for pool photographers. Blue suit, red tie. Still awaiting Justice Merchan, 9:34 am

OK - now in #TrumpTrial, contempt hearing 9:30 am then National Enquirer David Pecker continues at 11. Inner City Press is covering it (jury selection book here: ) and will live tweet, thread belowmatthewrussellleeicp.substack.com/p/literary-cou…
amazon.com/dp/B0D2FJBVJB Trump and his lawyers have arrived for the contempt of court hearing. Pool photographs are taken - there are repeated admonitions that no one else can take photographs, dark talk of people being banned for doing so. Drum roll...

OK - now #TrumpTrial opening arguments, Inner City Press covered last week's jury selection (book here ) and will live tweet, thread belowamazon.com/dp/B0D2BTC2M1 All rise!
Clerk: This is the People of the State of New York against Donald J. Trump.
Justice Merchan: Who long are the openings?
Prosecutor Steinglass: 40 minutes.
Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche: 25 minutes.
Justice Merchan: Good, because we will break early

OK- now in Trump Trial "Sandoval" hearing, Part 59, seated 30 feet behind Trump. This hearing will be about what the prosecutors want to ask Trump if he testifies. Inner City Press wrote book on Carroll trial & will live tweet, thread belowamazon.com/dp/B0CTFPXKGM All rise!
Prosecutor Hoffinger: Before the Sandoval hearing, we move to seal four exhibits, including Michael Cohen's contacts.
Trump's lawyer Bove: PII, fine. But they are trying to seal trial exhibits.
[There's a loud banging, unexplained]

OK - #TrumpTrial Day 4 - and last? - of jury selection, amid issues of what can or should be reported: not jurors' place of employment, but political links? Inner City Press wrote the book on Carroll v Trump & will live tweet, thread belowamazon.com/dp/B0CTFPXKGM All rise!
Clerk: This is the People of the State of New York against Donald J. Trump.
Justice Merchan: I'm told that all 22 jurors are already here. Any reason we cannot bring them in? We are still working on the temperature in the courtroom
[It *is* cold]

OK - now at #TrumpTrial Day 3 of jury selection, starting with 7 of 12 chosen, then alternates - Inner City Press wrote the book on Carroll v Trump (by @MatthewLeeICP @SDNYLIVE) and is live-tweeting this criminal trial, thread belowamazon.com/dp/B0CTFPXKGM Trump come into the courtroom, blue suit and blue tie, this time. Defense lawyer Susan Necheles plugging in her laptop. Trump is, as before, between Blanche and Bove

OK - now People of the State of NY v Trump, Day 2 of jury selection. Trump at defense table. Inner City Press is covering this trial after book on Carroll v Trump and will live tweet, thread belowmatthewrussellleeicp.substack.com/p/literary-cou…
amazon.com/dp/B0CTFPXKGM Trump currently sitting alone at defense table, empty seats of Todd Blanche and Emil Bove on either side of him. Susan Necheles one seat away, writing on legal pad

OK - now People of the State of NY v. Trump, Day 1 (jury selection), Inner City Press wrote the book on Carroll v. Trump and will be live tweeting this, thread belowamazon.com/dp/B0CTFPXKGM Prosecutors are setting up at their table. The entire 15th floor of 100 Centre Street has been "locked down." Drum roll.

OK - now election fraud appeal in US v. Douglass Mackey a/k/a Ricky Vaughn, convicted of telling people in 2016 they could vote by text (to suppress voting), and sentenced to 7 months - still out, pending this appeal. Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below Mackey's lawyer: All the court needs to find to decide this appeal is that it was not clear in 2016 that it was illegal to mislead people about voting. Misleading is ubiquitous in campaigns. That's why the government called this "groundbreaking"

OK - Sam Bankman-Fried sentencing has arrived, Inner City Press wrote the book (Crypto Criminal and will live tweet, thread below amazon.com/dp/B0CMJF66XR
Courtroom is full, Assistant US Attorneys glad-handing with people sitting in the second row. (First row behind defense table left empty; SBF will be brought in from holding cell by US Marshals). T minus six...

OK - now Trump NY criminal hearing before Judge Merchan in Stormy Daniels case - Inner City Press published Trump Trial II (on E Jean Carroll by @MatthewLeeICP, series of books incl SBF @SDNYLIVE) and will live tweet this, thread belowamazon.com/dp/B0CTFPXKGM Update: Trump is now in the courtroom at defense table, blue suit, red tie. Still no Judge Merchan

OK - now in Narcos Honduras ex-Prez JOH trial, 2d day of jury deliberation as Stabile asks to re-open record based on JOH wife email - Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below, then book/ 2do día de deliberación del jurado - hilo a continuación, libro viene It's 10:15 am & so far nothing from Judge Castel, for example on JOH lawyer Stabile's request this morning. Will quote below from yesterday's sidebar:
STABILE: I did not make a strategic decision not to cross-examine Ms. Taul on that. I made a mistake.

OK - now in Narcos Honduras ex-Prez JOH trial, Judge Castel is instructing the jury then they will deliberate- Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below, then book/ El juez Castel está instruyendo al jurado luego deliberarán - hilo a continuación, libro viene Judge Castel: Jurors, consider this: conspirators do not usually broadcast their plans. A conspiracy is almost invariably characterized by secrecy. You need only find the defendant entered into the conspiracy with one or more other persons...

OK - now in Narcos Honduras ex-Prez JOH trial, he remains on cross-examination, denying photo below, then closing arguments - Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below / caso de defensa, dia 3, JOH - hilo a continuación matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com
All rise!
Judge Castel: We're going to mark the trial indictment as Court Exhibit 6, and the verdict sheet as Exhibit 7. Bring in the jury.
Jury entering!
Judge Castel: Mr Hernandez you are still under oath.
AUSA: Let's continue with Casa Presidencial

OK - now in Narcos Honduras ex-Prez JOH trial, defense case continues - Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below / caso de defensa, dia 2 - hilo a continuación matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com
All rise!
Judge Castel: Juror 5 called, she is in the hospital. I estimate she is 70 or 80 years old. I propose to replace her with an alternate. But I'll hear from the parties.
AUSA: No objection
JOH's lawyer Stabile: We'd like to adjourn the trial.
Judge: Denied

OK - now in Narcos Honduras ex-Prez JOH trial, Giovani Rodriguez still on the stand, fights on gun and experts brewing - Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below / Hoy mas Giovani Rodriguez - hilo a continuación matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com
Jury entering!
Judge Castel: Jurors, I hope you had a good weekend. I did, digging and a birthday party. Mr. Stabile, continue
JOH's lawyer Renato Stabile: Mr. Rodriguez, you have admitted you were guilty of what you were charged of in 2010, right?
Giovani: Cierto

Update to 1:30 pm 1st tweet: this cannot be good for Menendez, from Uribe allocution: "THE DEFENDANT:  I agreed with several people, including Nadine Menendez, to provide Nadine with a Mercedes-Benz in return for Senator Menendez using his power and influence 1/x

https://twitter.com/innercitypress/status/1763633006109917688

2/x: I made certain payments on the Mercedes in a manner to conceal my involvement because I knew it was wrong.  I knew that giving a car in return for influencing a United States Senator to stop a criminal investigation was wrong, and I deeply regret my actions.

OK - now in Narcos Honduras ex-Prez JOH trial, Fabio Lobo on the stand,- Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below / Hoy mas Fabio Lobo - hilo a continuación matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com
All rise!
Judge Castel: The government may conclude its case as early as the end of the day Monday... I will not inquire at this stage if the defendant wants to put on a case of any kind. I have given the parties my proposed instructions

OK - now in Honduras ex-Prez JOH trial, Devis Rivera Maradiaga still on cross examination, after calling JOH a Cachiro - Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below / Hoy mas Devis - hilo a continuación matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com


Jury entering!
Judge Castel: Mr. Rivera, you are still under oath.
JOH's lawyer Colon: Mr. Rivera, before we get back into your DEA service--
Judge Castel: Mr. Colon, just ask a question.
Colon: In Denny's, what was the source of that $50,000 to Tony Hernandez?

OK - now in Honduras ex-Prez JOH trial, Devis Rivera Maradiaga still on the stand, after testifying about Hilda - Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below / Hoy Devis - hilo a continuación matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com/p/in-narcos-ho…
Jury entering!
Judge Castel: Mr. Rivera, you are still under oath.
AUSA: Mr. Rivera, when were you approached by Tony Hernandez?
Devis: 2014.
AUSA: After JOH became President?
Devis: Yes.
AUSA: What did Tony Hernandez want from you?
Devis: To work with me on drugs

OK - now in Honduras ex-Prez JOH trial, Monroy-Murillo still on the stand, under pseudonym Luis Perez - Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below / Hoy MM - hilo a continuación matthewrussellleeicp.substack.com/p/court-tale-i…
All rise!
Judge Castel: We received a message from Juror Number 9, that they have pink eye. I propose to excuse them.
AUSA: May we have a sidebar?
Judge Castel: Am I going to catch something, if it relates to this juror?
[Whispered sidebar begins]