The last hearing of former US president Donald Trump’s fraud trial started off in a frenzy in New York on Thursday morning (Jan 11), as a bomb squad reached the home of the judge, who is overseeing the cases, and spectators, as well as reporters, packed the courtroom to see the end of the trial.
Thursday was the last opportunity for the legal team of Trump to make an appeal to Judge Arthur Engoron, who is set to decide if Trump should be imposed a fine of $370 million for allegedly falsifying financial statements so that there is an increase in his net worth.
Before the court hearing started, police in Nassau County on Long Island said that responding to a security incident at Engoron’s residence, they reached the home at 5.30 am (local time).
Engoron, along with his staff, has faced frequent vitriolic criticism from Trump throughout the case, and his office received many death threats.
On Wednesday (Jan 12), the legal team of Trump and Engoron clashed again over the unusual request of Trump to deliver his own closing arguments at the trial.
Engoron did not allow Trump to speak after his lawyers failed to confirm that the former US president would not use the opportunity to deliver “a campaign speech” or “impugn myself, my staff, plaintiff, plaintiff’s staff, or the New York state court system”.
What happened here, sir, is a fraud on me: Trump
However, Trump – who sat quietly during the closing arguments of the attorney – later started a rant in a bid to express his feelings.
“We have a situation where I’m an innocent man,” Trump said to the judge. “They should pay me for what I’ve gone through. This is not consumer fraud. This is no fraud. It is a fraud on me,” he added.
Trump claimed that he was persecuted by “someone running for office” while making reference to New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the case against Trump.
Watch: US: Trump’s trial reaches its climax after clashes with the judge
Before Trump started speaking, the judge had reluctantly agreed to give the US president five minutes but had asked him to “focus on the facts” of the case.
Trump also made insulting remarks at the judge as well as the attorney general Letitia James, who was present in the court.
“I know this is boring to you. I know you have your own agenda,” said Trump, angrily to the judge, while sitting at the defence table. He added that James “hates” him and “doesn’t want him to get elected,” and called the case a “persecution.”
(With inputs from agencies)
