Name: AG, lawmakers discuss backlog of untested rape kits
Uploaded: 2021-05-18T10:35:00-0400
Duration: 1376178
Description: Attorney General Josh Stein and state lawmakers provide an update on efforts to clear the backlog of untested sexual assault evidence kits at North Carolina law enforcement agencies.

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Attorney General Josh Stein and state lawmakers provide an update on efforts to clear the backlog of untested sexual assault evidence kits at North Carolina law enforcement agencies.

<p>if you like that. Good morning. The Survivor act has been instrumental in the healing of victims into survivors. It has been a phenomenal success in clearing cold cases. We must be diligent as we strive to protect the rights of victims. We should not ever allow rape kits to sit untested. Do not shelve human beings. We must protect the integrity of all rape kids. Each kit matters. Rape kits contain crucial evidence needed to send a predator to prison. Each rape kid represents the essence of a human being. That human being, male or female is somebody's baby, no matter the age of that human being, he or she will always be somebody's baby. The potential of a sexual assault happening is from the cradle to the grave. It is a violent life threatening event and it can happen to anyone at any time. Study the arrest records of known offenders. You will see the repetitive and insidious pattern of an offender. A rapist will never stop unless we stop him. Test kits, arrest offenders empower victims to heal humanity. Humanity is the principle. We must live by an honor. Thank you. Mhm. Thank you, Mr linda. I just want to start by saying that for many survivors of sexual assault justice never comes in north Carolina. Fewer than one in four defendants charged with sexual assault are convicted. In 2016, members of the General Assembly were approached concerning a backlog of sexual assault evidence collection kits, often called rape kits, that is accumulated under the leadership of then Attorney General Roy Cooper. When rape, when a rape kit sits on the shelves and aren't tested for DNA survivors don't get to see justice. We knew we had to do something. So in 2017, the General Assembly directed local law enforcement agencies and the Department of Justice conduct an audit of how many kits were sitting untested across the state. The results were shocking. More than 15,000 kits were untested and had accumulated under a G Cooper's leadership. 15,000. That amount is staggering and should never have been allowed to happen. That this wasn't the first time our state was making headlines for having a rape kit backlog under a G cooper. But in the in the General Assembly, in cooperation with Attorney General Stein determined that this would be the last time that it happened. We knew our Department of Justice could not continue to ignore the problem and other hollow promises to never forget those rape victims who need to have the kids tested. As it is often said, justice delayed. Is justice denied. Since learning the magnitude of the backlog, the General Assembly and the Department of Justice have made strides not only to fund rape kit testing, but also to put in place measures to ensure those kits that need to be tested are tested In 2019. The General Assembly provided millions of dollars to reduce the backlog And passed the Survivor Act, which required all sexual assault evidence kits to be reported to law enforcement within 24 hours. That report would then start the clock for law enforcement agency to begin investigating the assault and to submit their kit for testing. It also required testing of all rape kits for DNA. And that piece is absolutely critical since the state started testing the backlog rape kits that were languishing on our shelves are law enforcement officers and D. A. S. Have been able to bring long a way to justice. Too many sexual assault survivors across north Carolina. As Attorney General Stein will highlight in his remarks. It's one thing to promise to never forget the survivors of sexual assault, but it's another thing to act on that promise. So I want to thank the many legislators who worked on this bill. Senator brit who couldn't be here today. Representative bowls representative Carson smith, representative john Faircloth and Representative billy Richardson and others for working together to address this problem. Also want to thank Attorney General Stein and the Department of Justice for the work they've done. As a result of this collaboration, we've been able to chip away at the backlog and to make numerous arrests in cases that had long thought to be unsolvable. So at this time I'd like to introduce Attorney General josh Stein, josh. Yeah, yeah. Good morning everybody. Thank you for being here. Senator Daniel, thank you for hosting this press conference to discuss this most important issue of eliminating the backlog of untested sexual assault kits. Senator Daniel! Senator brit represented bowls representative Richardson, representative smith, representative Belk, representative john, there have been so many legislators who care passionately about this issue, who have helped move this forward and I want to thank each and every one of them for their leadership as well as the entire general assembly for their unanimous support of tackling this issue. Everyone here wants to send three messages to the victims like MS linda. We want them to know that we care about what happened to them and that we will do everything in our power to deliver justice for them to the rapists and criminals. No matter how long ago you committed your crime, we will not stop coming for you and to the public to the people across the state. We care profoundly about your safety and will take steps necessary to make your communities safer. I want to take a moment to take stock of where we are. Our inventory of backlog uncovered a total of more than 16,000 16,190 to be precise, older kits in the custody of law enforcement. There are many reasons for why this backlog developed law enforcement didn't send it to the lab. The lab didn't have the technology that it has today. The Legislature didn't fund it. We didn't know what the scope of the problem was until the Legislature took action to order local law enforcement to do account. Local district attorneys didn't reach out to their law enforcement to move the backlog. But it really is less important of how we got here today than our commitment to move forward and ensure that a back like backlog like this never develops in north Carolina again. And we are making strong progress. We have completed testing on nearly 3000 kits, 29,65 And have another 5,404 in process of the ones that we've tested, 1055 includes samples that can be uploaded into the national database CODIS. Of those, nearly half 470 Had a hit to either an individual or to a suspect in another sexual assault, 75 of those were to a known individual. That means that law enforcement now has an incredibly hot lead to solve a cold case, some of which Had been unsolved for 20 or 30 years. And thanks to this effort, local law enforcement is getting to work. We know of at least 40 arrests That were accounted for 58 sexual assaults in the last year or two, 268 law enforcement agencies have either had all of their kids in the pipeline for testing or have completely eliminated their backlog and done tested every kit and that includes chief Hawkins, Fayetteville Police Department which has tested all of its kids and has been a tremendous leader and model in north Carolina for how we as a state can tackle this problem. They secured their own grant and has made 62 arrests thanks to its work on cold case. And chief Hawkins will tell us more about some of those cases and some of them are bone chilling. So as the state, we've made incredible progress but we aren't anywhere near finished As we've been going through this process. So of other states, so of other cities and that means that the demand on the vendor labs is greater than ever. The cost of testing a kit has increased from $700 to $1245. That's an increase of more than 75%. And it's the reason why we are requesting that the General Assembly appropriate an additional $9 million dollars and one time funding so we can outsource all of the remaining kids at the same time. Thanks to the Survivor Act that these folks passed in the last session, Law enforcement has more than doubled its annual submissions to the state crime lab. In 2018, 19, there were 821 kits submitted In 2019, 20. We received 1,853. That is an increase of 125%. And that is a good thing because it means we do not have a backlog and we will be giving respect to each one of those victims because it's MS linda said. Each kit comes from a person who suffered a terrible trauma and then willingly provided evidence, went through an invasive examination of hours to deliver evidence to the criminal justice system. We owe it to them to test their kids. So I look forward to working with the legislature, including the leaders here today to ensure that we have enough funding to test the old kids and enough scientists to ensure that another backlog never again develops. In north Carolina. The General Assembly and law enforcement agencies across the state have made incredible progress in tackling this problem, but we have to keep working together to get across the finish line. I want to thank everyone for what they've done on behalf of sexual assault survivors. And I look forward to continuing our work to ensure that the criminal justice system gives the respect and gives the effort that every one of these victims deserves. Thank you and now senator representing both. Thank you. Yeah, thank you. Good morning. As a sponsor of the Survivor Act. Uh it is great opportunity to be here today and as Senator Daniels and uh G. Stein has mentioned the success of this program, it needs to continue that the test results from these kids provide new life too cold cases. As MS linda has stated, I'm here on behalf of the House to show that this is not a partisan issue. Well, this has been a unanimous on both sides, the House and the Senate republicans democrat. This is a real issue, and we look forward as far as the House to push forward the additional funding and support of our law enforcement in our state crime lab and R. A. G uh, in pursuing the untested kits in the future. And I just like to thank the crime lab for what they do uh that nobody ever sees. So thank you remember Good morning. So, first of all, thank you for the opportunity and the invitation, um, just to come and represent the small portion the law enforcement avenue of what we do for the biggest hero in the room. People like Miss linda, the victims, um, the opportunity to learn from prior issues and to be forward thinking of how we can make sure that we solve crime in the future. The rape kits Attorney general said we won't stop because the victims are still waiting for us to do our job. The Legislature's, thank you for this act. Thank you for joining together for our communities across the state. Um, thank you State Crime Lab because we definitely cannot do it without you. Um, even when we present urgent cases that are happening real time now. But however long the cases are, we want to tell you, we will not stop working until they are treated, the victims are treated as if they were ourselves. Um Thank you for this opportunity once again um for this survivor Act bill so that we can continue to be the leaders. So north Carolina can be the leaders for the nation on how we can eradicate this issue um for any other state. And we can continue to solve cases and we continue to represent the victims who think we've forgotten and know that we had our hearts are there with you. Um That is our why you are why why we do this while we stand in the gap. So thank you again for this opportunity. Mhm. Thank you chief and thank you for being here today. So I guess we're willing to take questions from the press and maybe that we have to get one of our experts to respond. But Gary, Yeah, thank you to the information provided. The attorney general says that about 400 testing kits are in process and I think maybe the public would think, well why would it be in process? How long do these completion of these, of the evidence takes? Could someone describe that like because it would seem to me all you have just test the DNA and be done. Yeah. Um, thank you. Gary. Yeah. In process means that the local law enforcement has done the analysis and determine it is a kid eligible for testing because if somebody, if it was an unfounded case or somebody didn't file a police report, we are not supposed to send those on. So that work has to be done And then they get approval from us to ship it to the vendor and then it's in line with the vendor, the vendor. It has tremendous demand and there's only so many it can test in a month. And uh if we get this funding from the General Assembly, our hope is that in two years in May of 2023 every eligible test kit will have been examined but it takes some time for them to just get to it in line. The actual science itself is your correct, doesn't take that much time. I think on the funding side, the General Assembly, new when we appropriate our 1st $6 million dollars that this was kind of just the first round that we weren't gonna accomplish all of the testing and we're gonna have to revisit it in the future. Any other questions? Yes, ma'am. So at the bottom you note that there are a number of cases that in the last two years, how exactly are you prioritizing testing? Are you looking at the old ones first? Are the ones that are coming in current just you? Um there are actually two tracks. There are kids that existed before 2018 and those are the old ones and those are the ones being outsourced to the vendor lab. And those are being done basically as agencies do the analysis and determine, okay, we're ready to have ours shipped off and then we ship them as quickly as we can in terms of newer cases, anything more recently than the last two years, those go straight to the crime lab and are handled just as current crime scene evidence in any case is handled. Uh, and unfortunately, um this is uh the crime lab director Vanessa Martin. Nucci is here and her team has done an incredible job and technology in all disciplines is getting better. And so we are able to identify culprits with evidence today that even five years ago, we wouldn't have been able to identify a suspect. And that means that law enforcement knows that and are sending us more pieces of evidence even from the same number of crimes, were getting more evidence submissions from each case that I forget what the increase is, 45 or something in the last few years. And so another request we have to the General Assembly for their consideration is an additional 12 scientists, most half of them in DNA, but half of them and all other disciplines. Because the demand on the Crime lab services is so great. And the Crime Lab, what the General Assembly has done with our Crime lab isn't, this isn't common necessarily across the country. What we have said is to local law enforcement. This is a service the state will provide to local law enforcement for free. So if you have a crime that occurs in your community and you collect evidence from that, send it to the crime lab and you don't have to pay for that service. The state will bear that cost for all communities in north Carolina. And I think it's a great model. The problem is they're doing such a good job. We're getting more evidence emissions than ever. And so we we need more, we need more help. Gary. That's it for So the nine million that you're seeking, is it for both tracks? We're just for the just the outsource. So we have a request for nine million in one time money to outsource all of the kits that we think are eligible for testing and we think that's about a two year time period to get them all done. And then we have an additional request for some scientists which would be a recurring expense. Governor's budget or I believe that it was. Yeah, but it was in the governor's budget. Yeah, I think it was requested six scientists for DNA but an additional six scientists for other disclose. Yeah. I want to clarify something. Believe you said, did you say that the cost of the By 75%? That's correct. That's just in the past year. Yes. We had a contract with our vendor lab That expired last June and then we put out a new RFP and the new RFP the best price was 75 higher than the one we have been operating under the prior couple of years. Because this is a problem that exists across the country and so states all across the country are trying to outsource their kids and and an issue of increasing demand and static supply prices go up. Imagine there has to be some concern even on your end just to make sure The future of these prices are going well. Our hope is in the future. We never need to outsource kits again because what we want to do and what the legislature did with the Survivor Act was they said going forward law enforcement within 45 days of reported sexual assault shall automatically send the kit for testing to an accredited Crime lab, which nine times out of 10 is the state crime lab. And so if we can ensure that we never have another backlog, then we won't have to outsource any more kids. Any other questions. Yes ma'am, I'm talking about the ones that were sent to the national database. Why not only some of them go to the national database and No. Okay. Um when we get the DNA profiles back from the vendor lab, not all of them have enough markers to meet the code. Is requirements for uploading into the system. There has to be a certain percentage so that they have more confidence that it actually is going to be connected to the right person. Uh And sadly not every D. N. A. Sample that is collected. Do we get a sufficient profile for upload? Yeah. Vanessa, When I say anything wrong, you just tell me that I said something wrong. You appear to be coached well and the general assembly in addition to just you know, let's call it throwing money at the problem. We're looking at other ways to help the crime lab um do their testimony more efficiently through um remote means because a lot of the time that they're scientists um incur is traveling from courthouse, the courthouse that we're looking at ways to to address that from a different angle as well. Any other questions does have a press release during because I know you right there right there, except journalists and numbers we don't like. All right, well, if there's just this is kind of in the same vein, so that's why I'm asking it. So there is a issue statewide with sexual assault nurse examiners. How exactly are you addressing that? There's no one really keeping track of these nurses. We've reached out to all the hospitals. So what are you going to do to address that to make sure that there are people available to actually do these kids? So, I mean, josh may have his own answer, but I'd say nobody's mentioned that issue to me until this moment. So, you know, legislature um can only work on issues that we're aware of. So I don't know if Attorney General Stein has additional thoughts, but yeah, something we can look at. And sir, there's no question that sane nurses, sexual assault nurse examiners are best practice because they are specially trained in how to effectively do the examination to collect the evidence, both from evidence collection standpoint, but also the psychological well being of the victim. And so our belief is that all major hospital systems should have certified sane nurses on staff, and it's something we would be open to looking towards a requirement to that to achieve that one area the state might be able to help in. That is if there's some assistance that hospitals need and providing training for that um expertise, we might be able to look into doing that something along those lines. Um if there's no other questions, I want to thank all our panelists for coming today and thank you for attending, and I guess we'll adjourn. Thank you books. Mhm. Mhm. What true? True. More really pathway to here. Okay.</p>

Chad Flowers

Matthew Burns

AG, lawmakers discuss backlog of untested rape kits

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NBC News provides a special report on the end of testimony for the day in the trial of Donald Trump.

OCTOBER OF 2016 WHEN SHE CAME FORWARD TO THE "NATIONAL ENQUIRER," THE "NATIONAL ENQUIRER" IN TURN CONTACTED MICHAEL COHEN WHO THEN PAID HER $130,000 JUST TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION THE D.A.'S OFFICE FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY ALVIN BRAGG'S TEAM HAVE OUTLINED HERE OVER THE COURSE OF 45 MINUTES IN OPENING STATEMENTS THAT THEY INTEND TO SHOW THAT THERE IS A CONSPIRACY, THAT DONALD TRUMP DIRECTED THE PAYMENTS IN 2016 WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION TO STORMY DANIELS, AND THAT HE WOULD THEN IN TURN IN 2017 REIMBURSE MICHAEL COHEN FOR THOSE PAYMENTS. THE WHAT DID DONALD TRUMP KNOW AND DIDN'T KNOW IS AT THE HEART OF THIS CASE. BACK IN 2016 WHEN THIS CASE BECAME PUBLIC, HE INITIALLY DENIED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE STORMY DANIELS PAYMENT OF $130,000, BUT WHAT YOU ARE HEARD FROM HIS DEFENSE TEAM WHEN THEY TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT FORWARD THEIR OPENING STATEMENTS OVER 35 MINUTES, HIS DEFENSE LAWYER OUTLINED THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS A SYMPATHETIC FIGURE IN THIS, THAT HE DID NOT COMMIT ANY CRIME, THAT HE COMPENSATED MICHAEL COHEN AS HIS PERSONAL LAWYER, THAT IT WAS NOT A REPAYMENT TO COVER UP THE STORMY DANIELS' STORY BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION, BUT HE WAS SIMPLY PAYINGIM AS HIS PERSONAL LAWYER. HE TOLD THE JURY -- THIS WAS DONALD TRUMP'S ATTORNEY -- THAT THEY SHOULD IGNORE THE TESTIMONY FROM THE LIKES OF STORMY DANIELS WHEN SHE TAKES THE STAND SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR SALACIOUS MATERIAL ABOUT ALLEGED AFFAIRS AND AN ATTEMPTED HUSH MONEY PAYMENT, BUT NONE OF THAT MATTERS BECAUSE AT THE HEART OF THIS IS OVER FINANCIAL RECORDS AND THAT DONALD TRUMP WAS NOT THE ONE THAT ULTIMATELY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE ACTS. AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE AN INTENSE FIVE TO SEVEN-WEEK TRIAL HERE. TOMORROW THEY WILL RETURN TO COURT FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE WE LOOK AT OTHER WITNESSES INCLUDING STORMY DANIELS AND OF COURSE, MICHAEL COHEN WHOM THE DEFENSE TEAM FOR DONALD TRUMP ALREADY WAS QUESTIONING THE CREDIBILITY OF SAYING THAT MICHAEL COHEN'S TRUE INTENT HERE IS JUST TO GET DONALD TRUMP AND GET HIM INTO JAIL AFTER THOSE TWO, BEING THE FORMER LAWYER, FORMER FIXER, THE TWO OF THEM PARTED WAYS AS ALL OF THIS CAME TO LIGHT IN 2018. FOR DONALD TRUMP AND HIS PART INSIDE OF THAT COURTROOM FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, HE KEPT HIS EYES SHUT, BUT AT OTHER MOMENTS, HE WAS LOOKING AT HIS DEFENSE LAWYER TODD BLANCHE AS HE BEGAN TO MAKE HIS CASE TO THE JURY. AND HE ALSO TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED AT THE GALLERY, LOOKED AT THOSE WHO WERE IN THE ROOM. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH DAVID PECKER, THAT "NATIONAL ENQUIRER" PUBLISHER WHO WAS A LONG-TIME, ONE-TIME FRIEND OF HIS. THIS FOR HIM IS GOING TO BE A LONG HAUL HERE, BUT ONE THAT COULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO HIM AND HIS LEGAL FATE EITHER BEING FOUND GUILTY OR INNOCENT OR THE VERY REAL POTENTIAL OF A HUNG JURY. THE FIRST WITNESS TAKE THE STAND IN WHAT IS A MONUMENTAL DAY FOR DONALD TRUMP, THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S CRIMINAL TRIAL. >> DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE OTHER SIDE THAT SUGGESTS SOMETHING NEW IN HOW THEY WANT TO FRAME THIS CASE FOR THE JURY? >> Reporter: THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY THAT THE PROSECUTION WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING FORWARD BECAUSE IF YOU JUST TAKE DAVID PECKER, THAT MAN WHO WAS AT TRUMP TOWER WITH MICHAEL COHEN, WITH DONALD TRUMP, THE QUESTION WAS WHAT KIND OF TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE WOULD HE BE ABLE TO PROVIDE? BECAUSE HE HAS NEVER DONE A PUBLIC INTERVIEW. HE HAS NEVER PUBLICLY DISCUSSED THIS, BUT WHAT THE PROSECUTION OUTLINED IS THAT THEY HAVE CORROBORATING EVIDENCE THROUGH EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES AND PHONE CALLS. THEY EVEN HAVE GOING BACK TO OCTOBER 26th OF 2016 A PHONE CALL, TWO PHONE CALLS THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND MICHAEL COHEN IN WHICH THEY ALLEGE THAT MICHAEL COHEN JUST AFTER THOSE PHONE CALLS WENT TO A BANK, SET UP A BANK ACCOUNT IN THE FOLLOWING DAY, WIRED $130,000 TO STORMY DANIELS. SO THE PROSECUTION IS MAKING THE CASE THAT THIS IS MORE THAN JUST THE TESTIMONY OF MICHAEL COHEN BUT WE HAVE THE RECORDS. THE QUESTION IS DO THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE DONALD TRUMP THE TRUE CRIMINAL DEFENDANT HERE AS HIS DEFENSE TEAM HAS MADE THE CASE, LESTER, THAT THIS WAS A MATTER OF FINANCING AND THAT THOSE IN THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THOSE FINANCIAL RECORDS, IT WAS INCUMBENT ON THEM ON HOW THOSE RECORDS WERE ACTUALLY MAINTAINED AND THAT LEGAL, WHICH IS AT THE HEART OF THE FINANCIAL FRAUD ALLEGATIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE AGAINST DONALD TRUMP HERE, THAT THOSE DENOTATIONS OF LEGAL EXPENSES WERE FAIR AND JUST BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT DONALD TRUMP THOUGHT THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY USING MICHAEL COHEN FOR AND THAT THE IDEA OF REPAYING HIM FOR A HUSH MONEY PAYMENT WAS NOT AT THE FOREFRONT OF DONALD TRUMP'S MIND WHILE HE WAS SITTING IN THE OVAL OFFICE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF 2017. >> ALL RIGHT, VAUGHN, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO STAND BY. LET ME BRING IN FOR MORE, OUR SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT HALLIE JACKSON, AND NBC NEWS LEGAL ANALYST, DANNY CEVALLOS. GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE. HALLIE, FIRST OFF, FRAME WHAT WE HAVE HEARD TODAY. >> THE PROSECUTION IS ESSENTIALLY LOOKING TO LAY OUT THE CASE, AND YOU HEARD THIS COME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE OPENING STATEMENTS TODAY, THAT THIS GOES BEYOND SIMPLY WHAT WE ALL SHORTHAND IT AS THE HUSH MONEY TRIAL, THAT THIS WAS ABOUT ELECTION INTERFERENCE. THEY DID SOMETHING INTERESTING, THEY TOOK THIS PHRASE THAT IN MANY WAYS THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS CO-OPTED, THIS IDEA OF ELECTION FRAUD AND THEY TRIED TO FLIP IT AND USE IT AGAINST DONALD TRUMP IN THESE OPENING STATEMENTS, DESCRIBING WHAT HE DID AS ILLEGAL ELECTION FRAUD, THAT HE TRIED TO COVER UP ALONG WITH MICHAEL COHEN AND DAVID PECKER THIS, YOU KNOW, MONEY TO COVER UP AN ALLEGED SEX SCANDAL. WHAT THE DEFENSE DID WAS TRY TO TAKE THAT BACK. YOU HEARD THIS VERY INTERESTING LINE FROM TODD BLANCHE, THE LEAD ATTORNEY THERE FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT WHO SAID SPOILER ALERT, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH TRYING TO INFLUENCE AN ELECTION. IT'S CALLED DEMOCRACY. KIND OF AN EXTRAORDINARY LINE TO HEAR FROM THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S TEAM, AND SO THE DEFENSE CAME BACK, BLANCHE SAID THAT, BUT ALSO TRIED TO MAKE DONALD TRUMP SEEM SUPER RELATABLE. THAT WAS STRIKING AT SEVERAL MOMENTS FOR THE DEFENSE'S OPENING STATEMENTS TALKING ABOUT, SURE, HE'S THE FORMER PRESIDENT, BUT HEY, HE'S JUST LIKE US. HE'S A FATHER. HE'S A HUSBAND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL NEW YORKERS HERE. WE ALL GET IT. TRYING TO ESTABLISH THAT PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE JURY IN HOPES THAT THAT COULD SERVE THE DEFENSE TEAM OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SIX WEEKS THERE. WHAT I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING FOR, YOU ASKED ABOUT WHAT COULD BE NEW HERE, AND YOU HEARD VAUGHN ALLUDE TO SOME OF THIS, THE PROSECUTION HAS RECEIPTS. THEY'RE ALLUDING TO A TAPE WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S VOICE ON IT. THEY'RE ALLUDING TO A PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE OVAL OFFICE OF DONALD TRUMP WITH MICHAEL COHEN. THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO PROVE THAT MICHAEL COHEN, STORMY DANIELS, THAT THE PAPER DOCUMENTS, THE EVIDENCE, THE PAPER TRAIL PROVES THEIR CASE. >> SO DANNY, THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, THE DEFENSE IS GOING TO SAY THERE'S NO CRIME HERE? >> THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAN THAT. THEY ACTUALLY OPENED WITH HE'S INNOCENT. WHICH IS AN INTERESTING CHOICE OF WORDS. INNOCENCE IS NOT DETERMINED AT CRIMINAL TRIAL, GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY. SOMETIMES IF YOU FEEL THAT YOUR CASE IS PARTICULARLY STRONG, YOU MAY TRY TO ESSENTIALLY ARGUE INNOCENCE TO THE JURY. MY CLIENT IS SO NOT GUILTY THAT HE'S INNOCENT, AND THEY ESSENTIALLY OPENED WITH THAT. WE ALREADY GOT A PREVIEW AND THERE WERE NO SURPRISES. THEY'RE GOING TO POINT TO MICHAEL COHEN AS SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT CREDIBLE. THEY'RE GOING TO POINT TO STORMY DANIELS AS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT CREDIBLE, ALTHOUGH YOU COULD ARGUE THAT STORMY DANIELS IS ALMOST NOT NECESSARY AS A WITNESS IN THIS CASE. HER INVOLVEMENT IS KIND OF TANGENTIAL. THE AFFAIR ITSELF IS NOT CRITICAL TO WHETHER OR NOT IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED FOR THIS CASE. SO REALLY WHAT WE GOOD PREVIEW OF IS EXACTLY WHAT WE EXPECTED FROM THE PROSECUTION. THEY GOT OUT IN FRONT OF WHAT THEY CONSIDER THEIR MICHAEL COHEN ISSUE, THAT HE MIGHT HAVE CREDIBILITY  ISSUES. IN THE SPECTRUM OF COOPERATING WITNESSES, MICHAEL COHEN, WHO IS NOT TECHNICALLY A COOPERATING WITNESS, HE'S PROBABLY ON THE LOW END OF LACK OF CREDIBILITY. MOST COOPERATES WITNESSES ARE BROUGHT IN FROM THE PRISON IN SHACKLES, AND THEY HAVE TONS OF ISSUES WITH CREDIBILITY AND CRIMINALITY. BUT AS THE PROSECUTION WILL SAY, AS THEY ALWAYS SAY, IT'S A STANDARD LINE, WE DIDN'T CHOOSE THIS WITNESS. THE DEFENDANT CHOSE THIS WITNESS. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS THIS -- THE OPENINGS COME TO A CLOSE, I THINK ALL EYES ARE ON THE STAR WITNESS, AND I DON'T THINK I MEAN MICHAEL COHEN ANYMORE. I THINK DAVID PECKER IS GOING TO BE A CRITICAL WITNESS BECAUSE, NUMBER ONE, HE CORROBORATES MICHAEL COHEN. HE ESTABLISHES THE ALLEGED CONSPIRACY, AND HE CORROBORATES A LOT OF DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO SUPPORT WITNESSES LIKE MICHAEL COHEN. THE GOVERNMENT, THE PROSECUTION HAS A WAY OF MAKING MICHAEL COHEN'S LACK OF CREDIBILITY A MINIMAL ISSUE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GOING RIGHT IN THAT DIRECTION. >> THE PROSECUTION MADE AN EFFORT TO POOUT THAT DAVID PECKER HAD BROUGHT A LAWYER TO THE COURTROOM WITH HIM. IS THERE SOME STRATEGY IN THAT? >> NOT NECESSARILY. WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS IF YOU'RE THE STATE AND YOU HAVE A COOPERATING WITNESS, YOU DON'T WANT TO LOOK LIKE YOU'RE TOO HAND IF HAND WITH THAT WITNESS. I'LL GIVE YOU SOME OF THE STANDARD LINES AS A DEFENSE ATTORNEY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HIT THAT COOPERATING WITNESS WITH, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY FRAME THEM AS DOING ANYTHING THEY CAN TO PLEASE THEIR CAPTORS AND THEIR CAPTORS ARE THE GOVERNMENT WHO HAVE OFFERED THEM A DEAL. THEY'VE GOTTEN HAND IN HAND WITH THE DEVIL. THEY'RE TOO COZY WITH PROSECUTORS. THIS IS A COMMON THEME WHEN YOU'RE ATTACKING CORROBORATING WITNESSES OR PEOPLE TESTIFYING FOR THE GOVERNMENT. THE STATE WILL HAVE PREPARED THEIR WITNESSES FOR THIS. THEY'LL HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT IN CROSS EXAMINATION, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT YOU'LL SEE. >> I WANT TO GO BACK TO VAUGHN FOR AMOMENT. WE KNOW THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAD ED A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT HE WOULD TESTIFY. I ASSUME THAT DECISION OFFICIALLY IS STILL WEEKS AWAY, BUT WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT? >> Reporter: RIGHT, DONALD TRUMP'S CREDIBILITY, LESTER, IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL HERE FOR THIS JURY WHEN THEY'RE DETERMINING THE EXTENT TO WHICH HE IS GUILTY OR INNOCENT HERE. AND YOU SAID TWO TIMES NOW ALREADY IN THE LAST WEEK HE HAS MADE CLEAR THAT HE WOULD TESTIFY IN HIS OWN DEFENSE, BUT THERE ARE NUMEROUS QUESTIONS THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS NEVER PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY, INCLUDING INSIDE OF A COURTROOM, ANSWERED WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPECIFICS OF THIS CASE. AND ONE OF THOSE COMES DOWN TO THE FACT THAT IN JANUAUARY OF 2018, THAT IS WHEN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL FIRST REPORTED ABOUT THE MICHAEL COHEN AND STORMY DANIELS $130,000 ARRANGEMENT, MORE THAN A YEAR INTO HIS PRESIDENCY, JANUARY OF 2018, WHEN DONALD TRUMP WAS FIRST ASKED ABOUT IT IN APRIL OF 2018 ON AIR FORCE ONE, HALLIE WAS COVERING HIS WHITE HOUSE AT THE TIME. DONALD TRUMP WAS ASKED SPECIFICALLY, DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE $130,000 PAYMENT TO STORMY DANIELS. DONALD TRUMP REPLIED NO. HE THEN WENT ON TO SAY, QUOTE, YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK MICHAEL COHEN. MICHAEL IS MY ATTORNEY. YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK MICHAEL, AND SO DONALD D TRUMPILL HAVE TO WEIGH KNOWING THAT HE WILL GET THESE QUESTIONS AND DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PROSECUTION HAS IN TERMS OF EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONY FROM THE LIKES OF DAVID PECKER, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPLAY THOSE VERY COMMENTS FROM DONALD TRUMP IN 2018 AND PUT THEM SIDE BY SIDE TO COMMENTS THAT HE MADE IN 2016. ONE OTHER NOTE ON HIS CREDIBILITY, THERE IS A MAJOR DECISION EARLIER THIS MORNING AS WELL BY THE JUDGE. JUDGE MERCHAN MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT THE PROSECUTION WILL BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE TO THE JURY PREVIOUS TRIAL DETERMINATIONS AGAINST DONALD TRUMP, NAMELY TWO OF THOSE BEING IN JUST THE LAST YEAR, THE E. JEAN CARROLL DEFAMATION CASE AS WELL AS THE CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL IN WHICH JUDGE ENGORON JUST THIS YEAR FOUND THAT HE AND THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION HAD ENGAGED REPEATEDLY IN FINANCIAL FRAUD. THOSE CASES WHICH THE JUDGE IS GOING TO ALLOW THE PROSECUTION TO BRING FORWARD IN FRONT OF THE JURY WILL ALLOW THEM TO TELL THE JURY THAT DONALD TRUMP'S CREDIBILITY AND HIS PENCHANT FOR LYING AND NOT BEING WHOLLY TRUTHFUL ARE GOING TO BE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THAT DONALD TRUMP'S DEFENSE AND HIS LEGAL TEAM'S DEFENSE ARE NOT ALL THAT CREDIBLE WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIM IN THE ENTIRETY OF THE LAST DECADE THAT STARTED IN AUGUST 2015, WHEN THAT TRUMP TOWER MEETING WHICH DONALD TRUMP HAS NOT PUBLICLY COMMENTED ON, ALL THE WAY INTO 2017 WHEN DAVID PECKER, THE "NATIONAL ENQUIRER" PUBLISHER WAS INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR A DINNER THAT THE D.A.'S OFFICE SAYS WAS ARRANGED FOR DONALD TRUMP, THE THEN PRESIDENT, TO THANK DAVID PECKER FOR HIS EFFORTS TO SQUASH THOSE SALACIOUS STORIES FROM KAREN McDOUGAL AND STORMY DANIELS. >> WE'RE SEEING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP, THERE HE IS, OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE OR OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM. HE'S PREPARING TO LEAVE AS HE OFTEN DOES. HE ADDRESSES THEAMERAS GATHERED THERE. DANNY, LET ME BRING YOU BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION. THERE IS ANOTHER MATTER THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT FACED. THAT'S THE QUESTION OF THE GAG ORDER AND WHETHER HE HAS RECENTLY VIOLATED THAT. THAT'S GOING TO COME BACK UP TOMORROW, CORRECT? >> YES, AND LAST WEEK I SUSPECT THAT JUSTICE MERCHAN SAID IT FOR MORE THAN A WEEK OUT BECAUSE OF A COUPLE DIFFERENT REASONS. NUMBER ONE, HE HAD HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF POTENTIAL JURORS TO GET THROUGH, AND HE WANTED TO GET THE PARTY STARTED. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, BACK THEN, MONDAY MORNING -- MONDAY MORNING LAST WEEK WAS MIRED IN ARGUMENTS AND MOTIONS AND I SUSPECT THE JUSTICE WANTED TO JUST PUSH IT OFF TO NEXT WEEK SO THEY COULD GET THROUGH JURY SELECTION, AND THEN ALSO, THERE WAS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT BY THAT NEXT WEEK, BY TOMORROW THERE WOULD BE MORE VIOLATIONS OF THE GAG ORDER, AND THEY COULD PROBABLY JUST BE CONSOLIDATED. BUT AT THE TIME, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY SEVEN CLAIMED VIOLATIONS. THAT HEARING WILL GO ON TOMORROW, AND HERE'S WHAT I SUSPECT. LOOK FOR THE PEOPLE, THE PROSECUTORS, TO ASK FOR MINIMAL PENALTIES AT THE OUTSET. A LOT OF FOLKS SAY A THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHAT DOES THAT MATTER TO DONALD TRUMP? WELL, THESE VIOLATIONS AND THE PUNISHMENTS ARE INCREMENTAL. REALLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS SETTING A FLOOR. SURE, START HIM OUT WITH A THOUSAND DOLLARS, $5,000, IT DOESN'T MATTER, BUT THIS SPECTRUM, THIS PATH STARTS FROM ADMONITIONS. IT GOES TO FINES, AND EVENTUALLY, AT THE END OF THE ROAD IS INCARCERATION FOR SOMEBODY WHO VIOLATES OR IS HELD IN CONTEMPT BY THE COURT. NOW, THAT WOULD BE A MONUMENTAL DECISION AND A DIFFICULT DECISION BY THE JUDGE, BUT I THINK THE STATE IS SHOWING THAT THEY WANT TO MOVE IN INCREMENTS BUT THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE IF THERE ARE VIOLATIONS OF THE GAG ORDER. >> HALLIE, HOW IS THIS AFFECTING THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT? THE FORMER PRESIDENT LIKES TO MENTION THAT HE WOULD OTHERWISE BE OUT CAMPAIGNING RIGHT NOW. >> WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE RUBBER MEET THE ROAD ON THAT FRONT. COURT IS NOT IN SESSION ON WEDNESDAY. HE COULD DO CAMPAIGN EVENTS ON THOSE DAYS OR THE WEEKEND. THIS PAST WEEKEND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A CAMPAIGN RALLY. IT WAS ESSENTIALLY A WASHOUT, RAINED OUT, IT HAD TO BE CANCELED BECAUSE OF WEATHER. WHICH IS AN INDICATION SOMETIMES THINGS JUST POP UP. IT'S NOT ALWAYS IN YOUR CONTROL WHEN YOU'RE A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. TO GET REAL INSIGHT ON HOW THIS CASE WILL AFFECT HIM IN THE GENERAL ELECTION. REMEMBER, IN THE PRIMARY, ALL OF HIS LEGAL ISSUES WERE A BOON TO HIM. IT RALLIED HIS REPUBLICAN BASE AROUND HIM AND HELPED HIM GET THAT PRESUMPTIVE GOP NOMINATION ALL BUT LOCKED UP HERE. WHAT HAPPENS IN A GENERAL ELECTION. WE MAY NOT KNOW FOR A BIT YET. WE CAN LOOK AT NUMBERS OUT PR OUR NBC NEWS POLLING SHOWING THAT ABOUT 50% OF PEOPLE, AND THIS IS POLLING IN JUST THE LAST 24 HOURS, BELIEVE THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS BEING TREATED FAIRLY BY THE SAME STANDARD OF LAW AS YOU OR ME OR ANYBODY ELSE. 43% DISAGREE. THEY BELIEVE THAT DONALD TRUMP IS BEING TREATED UNFAIRLY, SEEMING TO ECHO WHAT HE HAS BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG TT HE IS IN MANY WAYS THE VICTIM OF POLITICAL PERSECUTION. THE CONVERSATION YOU WERE JUST HAVING WITH DANNY ABOUT THAT GAG ORDER, THE FORMER PRESIDENT SEIZED THAT THROUGH THE LENS THROUGH WHICH HE SEES SO MANY OF HIS LEAGUE PROBLEMS AS AN ISSUE OF UNFAIRNESS AGAINST HIM. HE HAS SAID THIS ON TRUTH SOCIAL, THIS ISN'T FAIR, THEY CAN TALK ABOUT ME BUT I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THEM. HE HAS ILED AGAINST THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN. KEEP IN MIND, IT'S A PARTIAL GAG ORDER. HE DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEAK AGAINST THE JUDGE OR MAKE COMMENTS IN A CAMPAIGN RALLY SETTING RELATED TO THAT, BUT THE POLITICAL IMPOLITICAL OCCASIONS I THINK ARE GOING TO BE REALLY TOLD, WHEN WE DO GET A VERDICT AND WE GET POLLING IN THE FIELD AFTER THAT. >> WE SAW FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSING THE CAMERAS A MOMENT AGO. ANY IDEA WHAT HE SAID? >> Reporter: YEAH, HE'S STILL ADDRESSING THE CAMERAS IN REALTIME, AND HE I SHOULD NOTE OVER THE LAST WEEK THROUGH JURY SELECTION WOULD OFTEN GIVE ABOUT FIVE, 15 SECONDS OF QUICK REMARKS OR COMMENTS TO THE PRESS, BUT THIS IS HIS MOST PROLONGED COMMENTARY WE HAVE SEEN YET. AND LARGE AMOUNT OF IT HAS SO FAR BEEN FOCUSED ON MICHAEL COHEN, OF COURSE WHO WAS HIS LONG-TIME PERSONAL LAWYER, AND HE IS UNDERCUTTING MICHAEL COHEN'S REPUTATION. WE SHOULD NOTE THAT, IN FACT, IT WAS CAMPAIGN FINANCES VIOLATIONS THAT WERE PART OF WHAT LED TO A GUILTY PLEA F FROM MICHAEL COHEN BACK IN 2018 WHILE DONALD TRUMP WAS SERVING AS PRESIDENT, AND IT WAS A LONG-STANDING DOJ POLICY TO NOT PROSECUTE A SITTING PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. BUT THAT IS WHEN MICHAEL COHEN FOR THE ACTS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLEGED AS PART OF THE ACTUAL HUSH MONEY SCHEME, LED TO MICHAEL COHEN SERVING PRISON TIME. AND MICHAEL COHEN HAS BEEN VERY PUBLIC AND VOCAL IN THE YEARS SINCE ABOUT HIS FRUSTRATIONS AS TO WHY PROSECUTORS AFTER DONALD TRUMP LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE, GO AFTER DONALD TRUMP FOR THE ALLEGED CRIMES, AND NOW WHAT YOU ARE HEARING IS MICHAEL COHEN WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT HE IS GOING TO BE A WITNESS, YOU'RE HEARING DONALD TRUMP CALL INTO QUESTION HIS CREDIBILITY AND SOMEBODY WHO ONLY HAS THE INTENT OF UNDERCUTTING HIM NOW THROUGH THIS PROCESS. >> VAUGHN, THANKS VERY MUCH, SO THE OPENING STATEMENTS ARE DONE. THE FIRST WITNESS ON THE STAND TODAY, THAT CONCLUDES THIS NBC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT. MUCH MORE ON OUR STREAMINGNG

NBC News Special Report: Witness testifies after opening statements in Trump trial

A 12-person jury in Manhattan is set to hear opening statements Monday from prosecutors and defense lawyers in the first of four criminal cases against Donald Trump.

<p>&gt;&gt; Announcer: THIS IS AN NBC NEWS "SPECIAL REPORT." HERE'S CRAIG MELVIN. &gt;&gt;&gt; AND A GOOD MONDAY MORNING. WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR WITH BREAKING NEWS AND A HISTORIC MOMENT AS WELL WITH OPENING STATEMENTS SET TO START IN FORMER-PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S NEW YORK HUSH MONEY TRIAL. THE PRESIDENT HAS ARRIVED AT THE COURTHOUSE. THIS, OF COURSE, IS THE FIRST TIME A FORMER PRESIDENT AND A PRESUMPTIVE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT IS STANDING TRIAL FOR CRIMINAL CHARGES. MR. TRUMP HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO 34 COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS. THOSE COUNTS ARE RELATED TO A 2016 PAYMENT MADE TO ADULT FILM STAR STORMY DANIELS TO KEEP HER QUIET ABOUT AN ALLEGED SEXUAL ENCOUNTER, ALL OF WHICH THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS DENIED. TODAY'S OPENING STATEMENTS COMING A WEEK AFTER THE TRIAL STARTED WITH JURY SELECTION. NOW THOSE 12 JURORS AND 6 ALTERNATES ARE SET TO HEAR THE CASE AGAINST HIM AND HIS TEAM'S DEFENSE IN A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR OUR COUNTRY'S LEGAL LANDSCAPE. WE START NOW WITH OUR SENIOR LEGAL CORRESPONDENT LAURA JARRETT. SHE HAS MADE HER WAY TO THAT COURTHOUSE THERE IN LOWER MANHATTAN. LAURA, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING TO SEE AND HEAR INSIDE THAT COURTROOM THIS MORNING? &gt;&gt; Reporter: WELL, CRAIG, IT WAS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO THAT DONALD TRUMP STEPPED INTO THE COURTHOUSE HERE BEHIND ME FOR HIS ARRAIGNMENT. TODAY HE WALKS IN AS A CRIMINAL DEFENDANT FOR HIS OPENING STATEMENTS IN HIS FIRST CRIMINAL TRIAL. A REMARKABLE MOMENT FOR MR. TRUMP, FOR THE 12 JURORS SET TO SIT IN JUDGMENT OF HIM, AND FOR THE COUNTRY A REMARKABLE TEST, AS YOU SAID, FOR OUR LEGAL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. THOSE 34 COUNTS, TECHNICALLY ABOUT FALSIFICATION OF BUSINESS RECORDS, BUT THE STORY THAT THE PROSECUTORS HERE WANT TO TELL, CRAIG, IS FAR BROADER THAN THAT, FAR MORE AMBITIOUS. THE STORY THAT THEY WANT TO TELL, A ROADMAP IF YOU WILL THAT THEY WANT TO LAYOUT TODAY IN OPENING STATEMENTS IS ABOUT ELECTION INTERFERENCE AND THEY'RE TELLING THEHE TRU CAMPAIGN IN 2016 WAS REELING FROM THE RELEASE OF THE "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD" TAPE AND SO DESPERATE TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD SHORE UP THE FEMALE VOTE THEY TRIED TO BURY THE STORY OF STORMY DANIELS, A STORY THAT COULD HAVE UPENDED THE CAMPAIGN. SO IN PROSECUTOR'S TELLING, MR. TRUMP DIRECTED HIS FORMER FIXER, MIKE AN COHEN, TO PAY HER OFF WITH $130,000. THAT PAYMENT IS MADE DAYS BEFORE VOTERS WENT TO THE POLL BUT, OF COURSE, THE VOTERS FOUND OUT ABOUT I ANYWAY. THE DEFENSE TEAM IS GOING TO LAYOUT HOW MR. TRUMP DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PLOT, THIS ALLEGED ORCHESTRATION, THAT MR. TRUMP WASN'T INVOLVED IN IT AND THAT MR. COHEN DID IT ON HIS OWN. THE DEFENSE TEAM WANTS TO SAY, CRAIG, IF ALL OF THIS HAPPENED THE WAY PROSECUTORS SAY, WHICH THEY DENY, WAS ACTUALLY BEING FALSIFIED, THE INTERNAL CRIME ARE BUSINESS RECORDS THAT WOULD NEVER HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT OF DAY. SO HOW COULD THE VOTERS HAVE BEEN FOOLED? THAT'S THE DUELLING NARRATIVES WE WILL SEE PLAY OUT IN OPENING STATEMENTS, CRAIG. &gt;&gt; AFTER OPENING STATEMENTS, THE FIRST WITNESS WE'VE BEEN TOLD A MAN NAMED DAVID PECKER. EXPLAIN HOW HE FITS INTO ALL OF THIS AND WHAT IS THE PROSECUTION HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH BY CALLING HIM FIRST? &gt;&gt; Reporter: IT IS AN INTERESTING STRATEGIC MOVE REALLY, CRACK, BECAUSE DAVID PECKER WAS THE FORMER LEADER OF AMI, WHICH IS THE PARENT COMPANY OF ""THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER"." EVERYONE KNOWS THAT TABLOID. THE REASON PROSECUTORS WANT HIM IS BECAUSE HE ALLOWS THEM TO PUT MR. TRUMP IN ROOM FOR WHEN THE SCHEME HAPPENED IN 2015, AND PROSECUTORS TELLING, THEY'RE GOING TO TELL THE JURY HERE MR. TRUMP, MR. COHEN AND DAVID PECKER SAT IN A ROOM AND THEY DECIDED TO TRY TO CATCH AND KILL BAD STORIES THAT COULD HAVE HURT MR. TRUMP. THEY'RE GOING TO SAY IT WAS MR. PECKER AND MR. TRUMP AND MR. HEN WHO DECIDED TO TAKE AND BUY THE STORIES TO MAKE SURE OTHER PEOPLE COULDN'T PUBLICIZE THEM. MR. TRUMP DOESN'T DENY THAT MEETING HAPPENED. HE CAN'T. BUT HE IS GOING TO DENY THERE WAS ANYTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT IT, CRAIG. &gt;&gt; LAURA JARRETT FOR US THERE AT THE COURTHOUSE. LAURA, THANK YOU. LET'S BRING IN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT HALLIE JACKSON AND NBC NEWS LEGAL ANALYST DANNY CEVALLOS. WE WILL HEAR FROM DANNY PECKER BUT THE AFOREMENTIONED MICHAEL COHEN, THE PRESIDENT'S FORMER FIXER, A MAN WHO WROTE A BOOK CALLED "REVENGE" ABOUT HIS FORMER BOSS. HE IS ALSO A CONVICTED FELON. &gt;&gt; MUCH HAS BEEN MADE OF HIS LACK OF CREDIBILITY AND HE HAS THAT PROBLEM, BUT PROSECUTORS ROUTINELY USE COOPERATING WITNESSES WITH MUCH WORSE CHARACTER ISSUES THAN MICHAEL COHEN. YOU WILL HAVE TRIALS AND I HAVE HAD THESE WHERE THE COOPERATING WITNESS COMES IN IN SHACKLES AND PRISON GEAR. THE POINT IS PROSECUTORS OFTEN GO TO OTHER BAD GUYS TO GET TESTIMONY AGAINST THE DEFENDANT BAD GUY THAT THEY WANT TO CONVICT. THIS IS NOTHING NEW. THE PROSECUTION'S ALREADY BEEN SEEDING THE JURY, PREPPING THEM FOR THE FACT, HEY, YOU MAY HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE CREDIBILITY ISSUES IN THIS CASE, BUT THE STATE HERE AS A LOT OF CORROBORATING EVIDENCE. I THINK THAT COMES A LOT IN THE FORM OF DAVID PECKER, WHO I THINK IS QUIETLY GOING TO BE REALLY THE GOVERNMENT'S STAR WITNESS HERE, NOT SO MUCH MICHAEL COHEN. &gt;&gt; HALLIE JACKSON, OF COURSE, THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER OPINION -- PENDING CASES THE PRESIDENT IS DEALING WITH. SO FAR IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE AFFECTED HIM AT ALL POLITICALLY. DO WE EXPECT IT TO CHANGE ANYTHING IN THAT REGARD? &gt;&gt; HUGE QUESTION AND SOMETHING WE WILL NOT GET AN ANSWER UNTIL AFTER THE VERDICT COMES DOWN LATER ON IN THE SPRING. YOU ARE CORRECT, CRAIG. HIS LEGAL ISSUES DID NOT PHASE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS WHO OVERINGLY BACKED FORMER-PRESIDENT TRUMP. HERE IS SOMETHING I'M WATCHING FROM THE LATEST NBC NEWS POLLING. WE ARE CALLING IT SHORT-HANDING THIS AS THE HUSH MONEY TRIAL TO DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM THE OTHER TRIAL, THE OTHER LEGAL ISSUES THE FORMER PRESIDENT FACES. THE PROSECUTION IS HOPING TO HAVE PEOPLE THINK ABOUT IT NOT AS A HUSH MONEY TRIAL BUT AS SOMETHING BIGGER THAN A SEX SCANDAL BUT AN ELECTION INTERFERENCE TRIAL. WHY DOES IT MATTER? WHEN YOU LOOK AT ISSUES THAT VOTERS SAY MATTER TO THEM AND VOTERS COME NOVEMBER, IT IS INFLATION AND IMGRANGS. NO SURPRISE. THOSE ARE STALWARTS, ALWAYS BIG ISSUES. THIRD, THEY SAY THREATS TO DEMOCRACY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING THE COUNTRY. IF PROSECUTORS ARE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION, THERE YOU SEE THE FORMER PRESIDENT WALKING IN, THAT COULD SWAY FOLKS. &gt;&gt; WE HAVE "MEET THE PRESS" MODERATOR KRISTEN WELKER JOINING US FROM WASHINGTON. KRISTEN, GOOD MORNING TO YOU. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT PRESIDENT. PRESIDENT BIDEN, SO FAR IT WOULD SEEM AS IF THE STRATEGY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH A HANDS-OFF APPROACH. WE HAVEN'T HEARD THE CURRENT PRESIDENT TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S LEGAL TROUBLES. DO WE EXPECT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THIS TIME AROUND? &gt;&gt; ABSOLUTELY NOT, CRAIG. I EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE THIS WEEK. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IT HAS BEEN A HANDS-OFF APPROACH. LAST WEEK PRESIDENT BIDEN ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN BATTLEGROUND PENNSYLVANIA TALKING ABOUT ONE OF TOP ISSUES FOR VOTERS, THE ECONOMY. THIS WEEK HIS BIG SPEECH IS GOING TO FOCUS ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN BATTLEGROUND FLORIDA, IN TRUMP'S HOME TURF. HE WILL BE BLASTING THAT SIX-WEEK BAN IN THE STATE THERE. THE STRATEGY, CRAIG, IS TWO FOLD. ONE TO TRY TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE ISSUES AS AN ATTEMPT TO CAST HIMSELF AS A STEADY LEADER, AS THE PERSON WHO IS THE OPPOSITE OF BRINGING CHAOS, AND ALSO TO TRY TO LIVE UP TO THE PROMISE HE MADE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL BACK IN 2020, THAT HE WOULDN'T INTERVENE IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. SO I ANTICIPATE WE WILL SEE THIS PLAY OUT. LOOK AT OUR LATEST NBC NEWS POLL, SHOWS THAT HE IS NARROWING THE GAP WITH FORMER-PRESIDENT TRUMP NOW JUST TRAILING HIM BY TWO POINTS AS OPPOSED TO FIVE LAST TIME WE TOOK THE POLL, CRAIG. &gt;&gt; MODERATOR OF "MEET THE PRESS," KRISTEN WELKER. BIG THANKS TO YOU. THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE SPECIAL REPORT. WE WILL HAVE MORE ON OUR STREAMING NETWORK, "NBC NEWS NOW" ONLINE AND ON NBCNews.com. THE FULL AND COMPREHENSIVE WRAP</p>

NBC News: Opening statements begin in Trump's hush money trial

Tuesday and Friday Mega Millions Drawing.

>> ACROSS AMERICA WITH MEGA JACKPOTS, IT'S MEGA MILLIONS. >> GET EM, CAROL. BLACK MEN IS FRIDAY, APRIL 19TH AND TONIGHT'S MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT IS AN ESTIMATED ANNUITY TIES 178 MILLION DOLLARS. SO THE JACKPOT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS THAT ALL 5 WHITE PLUS THE GOLD MEGA BALL. GET OUT YOUR TICKETS. GOOD LUCK. THE FIRST NUMBER. IT'S 46 THAT'S FOLLOWED BY 34. THEN WE HAVE 30. UP NEXT IS 19 AND OUR FINAL WHITE BALL IS 58 AND THE GOLD MEGA BALL. IS 3 WINNING NUMBERS AGAIN. ARE 46 34 30 1958.

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NBC News Special Report: Witness testifies after opening statements in Trump trial

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