A potential indictment of former President Donald Trump has been put on hold after a New York grand jury did not meet as previously expected. The Daily Mail had reported that an indictment was expected to be served on Wednesday, but no action was taken.
The proceedings have been contentious this week with Trump accusing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of planning an arrest and charge on Tuesday – a claim that eventually proved unfounded.
Robert Costello, a former federal prosecutor, testified in the grand jury on Monday. He described Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer and believed key witness in the case, as “untrustworthy” at best. “I told the grand jury that this guy couldn’t tell the truth if you put a gun to his head,” Costello said to The New York Times following his testimony.
It is unclear when the grand jury may reconvene and announce any possible charges against Trump stemming from a 2016 hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard Law Professor Emeritus, believes that Robert Costello’s testimony to the New York grand jury may have derailed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s plans. Dershowitz shared his opinion on Fox News, stating that Costello’s attack on Michael Cohen’s reliability could kill Bragg’s chances of using the former Trump attorney as a witness.
“Bob Costello has changed this case dramatically,” said Dershowitz. “I think that Bragg now only has two possible results from that…He may not be able to make it without Cohen. But if he can’t make it without Cohen, he can’t make it, because no ethical prosecutor is allowed to put on as a witness somebody who has told the lies and has contradicted himself so much.”
Dershowitz added that any potential indictment against Trump over a 2016 hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels may depend entirely on whether or not Bragg can salvage the case with evidence other than what Cohen has provided.
