Donald Trump’s hush money case resumed on Friday, at the end of a week that saw adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the witness box, two failed attempts by the defence to have a mistrial declared and gag order sanctions.
Ms Daniels’ sometimes graphic testimony over two days riveted jurors and drew upset from defence lawyers who decried it on Thursday as prejudicial and overly gratuitous.
The prosecution defended its questioning and Ms Daniels’ details of the alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump and ultimately, the judge denied the requests for a mistrial — chiding the defence for not objecting more during testimony.
Trump has denied the two ever had sex.
Madeleine Westerhout, a former Trump White House aide, returned to the witness box after beginning her evidence on Thursday afternoon.
It is not yet clear who will next give evidence, but prosecutors are ramping up for star witness Michael Cohen, who arranged the $130,000 payment to Ms Daniels and later went to prison for orchestrating the payments and other charges.
The trial is in its 15th day. Prosecutors say Trump and two of his associates orchestrated a scheme to influence the 2016 election by purchasing and then burying stories that might damage his campaign.
Mr Trump is accused of falsifying internal business records to cover up the hush money payments by recording them as legal expenses. He has pleaded not guilty.
The case is the first criminal trial of a former US president and the first of four prosecutions of Trump to reach a jury.
