After roughly five weeks, 19 witnesses, reams of documents and a dash of salacious testimony, the prosecution presented the evidence against Donald Trump, handing the case to the defense ahead of closing arguments expected next week.
Trump's team sought to downplay key testimony against the former president, who is accused of concealing hush money paid to a porn star for an alleged encounter that could have derailed his successful 2016 bid for the White House.
His attorneys have called lawyer Robert Costello - once an adviser to the prosecution's chief witness Michael Cohen before arguing with him - in an apparent attempt to crack Cohen's credibility.
But the start of Costello's hearing was inconclusive at best, as his dismissive tone elicited an angry response from Judge Juan Merchan.
The judge ordered the jury out of the courtroom to make a remark to Costello, and, still unsatisfied, ordered the press and others to leave briefly.
Trump then called the incident "an incredible display," and branded the trial a "show trial." The former president called the judge a "tyrant."
The protracted wrangling between the two legal teams, as well as the upcoming holiday weekend, means that closing arguments, which the judge had hoped to begin as early as Tuesday, are now scheduled for next week.
It's unlikely and risky, but the door remains open for Trump to appear at the criminal trial, which is the first in history for a former US president.
Experts doubt that he will do so, as it would expose him to unnecessary legal jeopardy and judicial cross-examination by prosecutors - but his lawyer Todd Blanche points to that prospect.
Marathon questioning
On Monday, Blanche wrapped up the third day of questioning Cohen after hours that at times led to evasive and at others painful exchanges.
Cohen, Trump's former personal attorney and confidant, told last week how he kept Trump informed about $130,000 paid to porn star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about the alleged affair before the 2016 presidential election.
Trump's lawyers have taken to portraying Cohen as a convicted felon and habitual liar, recalling his stint in prison for tax fraud and lying to Congress.
Blanche also tested Cohen's loyalty to Trump and then to the prosecution, seeking to show the jury that Cohen was self-serving and willing to go to extremes to achieve his goals.
Blanche was trying to rile Cohen, who has a reputation for being a short-tempered man, which could have hurt his testimony - but the witness largely kept his composure.
Cohen's story generally matched that of Daniels and David Pecker, the tabloid chief who said he worked with Trump and Cohen to suppress negative coverage during the Republican's run for the White House.
After Blanche finished with him, the prosecution returned for a rehearing, with prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asking Cohen what the whole experience meant to him.
"My whole life was turned upside down," Cohen said with genuine emotion in his voice. "I lost my law license, my financial security ... my family's happiness ... and those are just a few examples."
Trump 2024
Trump, meanwhile, has complained that his campaign for another term in the White House in 2024 has been hampered by weeks-long court proceedings that he must attend every day.
Today, he complained to reporters that he was "not allowed to have anything to do with politics because he's been sitting in a very cold, freezing, dark room for the last four weeks."
Calling the case politicized, a group of leading Republicans stood behind him as he gave statements to reporters outside the courtroom.
The growing list includes several lawmakers casting an eye on Trump's vice presidential pick, including Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.
Still, despite the intrigue and courtroom drama, the charges ultimately hinge on the financial documents and whether they were falsified to influence the 2016 presidential vote /BGNES
