Donald Trump’s trial in the Stormy Daniels hush-money case could be directly impacted by an appeal from convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein, according to the former Hollywood producer’s lawyer.
Weinstein is arguing he didn’t receive a fair trial because of the presiding judge’s Sandoval ruling; this meant, if he had personally testified in person, prosecutors could have raised 28 other cases of alleged inappropriate behavior in court. On Friday, Trump said he will personally testify in the Stormy Daniels case, potentially meaning prosecutors may be allowed to bring up other legal actions against him, such as the Jean E. Carroll and New York civil-fraud cases, during the trial.
Trump has pled not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, which prosecutors claim he did to cover up the payment of hush money to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump wanted to prevent her going public over an alleged sexual relationship she claimed to have had with him back in 2006, though the Republican denies this ever took place.
Newsweek contacted Trump lawyer Todd Blanche, and representatives of his 2024 presidential election campaign, by email at around 9 a.m. ET on Saturday. This article will be updated if any wish to comment.
In February 2020, Weinstein was found guilty in New York of rape in the third degree and a criminal sexual act in the first degree and sentenced to 23 years in prison. In December 2022, he was also convicted of rape and other sexual-assault charges in a separate Los Angeles case and sentenced to an additional 16 years of imprisonment. He is appealing both verdicts.
Weinstein has been seeking to overturn his New York conviction, saying the case was prejudiced against him due to the judge’s Sandoval ruling. This is so called after the 1974 trial of accused murderer Augustin Sandoval, who sought to put restrictions on what other claims about him could be brought up in court to avoid prejudicing the case.
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Arthur Aidala, Weinstein’s attorney, said his client was “begging to tell his side of the story” but was unable to due to the judge’s Sandoval ruling, which amounted to “major prejudice” over the case.
In June 2022, the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division rejected Weinstein’s appeal against his first conviction, though the former producer has since launched another bid at the New York Court of Appeals.
Speaking to CNN, Aidala said this ruling, which he expects to be handed down on Tuesday, could impact on Trump’s hush-money trial. He added: “From a legal perspective because it’s very timely and it is a little personal, any minute, we’re expecting the New York State Court of Appeals to hand down a ruling in the case of People’s State of New York versus Harvey Weinstein, which my firm tried and argued.
“And that it’s all on Sandoval. It’s on that exact issue,” Aidala added. “And that court of appeals ruling is going to tell everyone in the state how much you can put in and what you cannot put in.”
Referring to Trump’s case case, Aidala said: “It could cause this trial judge [Juan Merchan] to adjust his ruling, depending on what the highest court in the state said.” Trump and his legal team may then change their position on whether the former president testifies in person based on what other evidence Merchan says can be presented to the court in his Sandoval ruling.
Speaking on Friday, after the full jury and six alternates had been selected, Judge Merchan said the opening arguments in Trump’s Stormy Daniels case will begin on Monday.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.