(NEW YORK) -- Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.

Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.

Here's how the news is developing:

Apr 23, 11:57 AM
Pecker says he was in regular contact with Cohen

Despite first meeting Michael Cohen by chance in 2000 at a bar mitzvah, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified that Donald Trump first introduced him to Cohen as his personal lawyer in 2007.

Pecker said Trump asked him to begin coordinating with Cohen about any stories or rumors related to Trump or his family.

"All of the contacts that I had with Mr. Trump -- now my contact should go through Michael Cohen," Pecker said about Trump's directive after meeting Cohen.

Pecker and Cohen would touch base monthly over the following decade, but communications ramped up after Trump announced his candidacy for president in 2015, Pecker said.

"I would say a minimum of every week, and if there was an issue, it could be daily," Pecker said about his contact with Cohen during the campaign.

Apr 23, 11:52 AM
Pecker describes 'great relationship' with Trump

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, back on the witness stand, pointed at Donald Trump and flashed a smile when he was asked to identify the defendant. Trump turned his chin up and grinned at his longtime friend.

"I met Mr. Trump at Mar-a-Lago," Pecker said. "I've had a great relationship with Mr. Trump over the years."

That relationship started in 1989 when Pecker wanted to start a magazine called Trump Style.

"He was very helpful in introducing me to other executives in New York. He would always advise me of parties or events that I would go to," Pecker said, adding that Trump was among the first to congratulate him upon acquiring the National Enquirer.

Pecker described how Trump became a "major celebrity" after launching The Apprentice and later Celebrity Apprentice, and how the National Enquirer was there to juice Trump's profile.

"He was always kind enough to send me the content showing the ratings and I was able to publish that," Pecker said of their "great mutual beneficially relationship.

Pecker said he considered Trump a friend from 2015 to 2017, calling him by the familiar "Donald," as he pursued the White House for the first time.

"After he announced his run for the presidency I saw Mr. Trump more frequently, maybe once a month," Pecker said. The two spoke "maybe once every couple of weeks."

Pecker recalled meeting Trump in his office when his assistant brought a batch of invoices and checks to sign.

"As I recollect the entire package was stapled together," Pecker said.

"So you observed him reviewing an invoice and signing a check?" prosecutor Josh Steinglass asked. "That's correct," Pecker responded.

"I would describe him as very knowledgeable, very detail-oriented, almost as a micromanager," Pecker said.

When Steinglass asked how Trump was with money, Pecker responded, "He was very cautious and very frugal."

Apr 23, 11:43 AM
Secret Service has plans if Trump is confined for contempt: Sources

The U.S. Secret Service has held meetings and started planning for what to do if former President Trump were to be held in contempt and Judge Juan Merchan opted to send him to short-term confinement, officials familiar with the situation tell ABC News.

Prosecutors said at this point they are seeking a fine.

"We are not yet seeking an incarceratory penalty," assistant district attorney Chris Conroy said, "But the defendant seems to be angling for that."

Officials do not necessarily believe Merchan would put Trump in a holding cell in the courthouse but they are planning for contingencies, the officials said.

There have be no discussion about what to do if Trump is convicted and sentenced to prison, they said.

"Under federal law, the United States Secret Service must provide protection for current government leaders, former Presidents and First Ladies, visiting heads of state and other individuals designated by the President of the United States," the Secret Service said in an official statement. "For all settings around the world, we study locations and develop comprehensive and layered protective models that incorporate state of the art technology, protective intelligence and advanced security tactics to safeguard our protectees. Beyond that, we do not comment on specific protective operations."

-Josh Margolin and Luke Barr

Apr 23, 10:56 AM
Contempt hearing ends without a ruling

The combative hearing on Trump's alleged violations of the judge's limited gag order ended with the judge saying he will not rule from bench on the district attorney's motion to hold Trump in contempt, so a ruling will come later.

Before concluding the hearing, Judge Merchan told Trump attorney Todd Blanche, "You're not offering me anything … to hang my hat on."

The trial will resume shortly with the return of former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker to the witness stand.

Apr 23, 10:48 AM
'You’re losing all credibility,' judge admonishes defense

Judge Juan Merchan is visibly irritated with the lack of evidence presented by defense attorney Todd Blanche.

“You have presented nothing,” Merchan said. “I have asked eight or nine times; show me the exact post he was responding to.”

“You’re losing all credibility with the court,” Merchan said after Blanche suggested Trump has been careful to comply with the gag order.

Blanche attempted to represent that Trump did not intend to violate the gag order, but Merchan did not appear satisfied by the response.

“Are you testifying under oath that this is his position?” Merchan asked.

“Do you want me to put him on the stand?” Blanche asked, though Trump did not take the stand.

Merchan strongly reacted earlier when Blanche suggested there were two tiers of justice in the courtroom.

“There are two systems of justice. Mr. Weisselberg is in prison, and Mr. Cohen is a witness," Blanche said, in reference to the former Trump Organization CFO who was sentenced to jail time for perjury.

“There are two systems of justice in this courtroom -- is that what you are saying?” Merchan responded.

Apr 23, 10:41 AM
'It's just common sense,' defense argues regarding Trump's posts

The contempt hearing has turned tense as Trump attorney Todd Blanche tries to defend Trump's posts as mere responses to attacks -- but isn't giving clear examples of how Trump was being attacked.

Instead, Blanche asked the judge why the timing of the posts mattered -- prompting a strong rebuke from the judge.

"I'm asking the questions, OK?" Judge Merchan told Blanche. "Please don't turn it around."

Merchan continued to reprimand Blanche: "I'm asking a specific question over and over and I'm not getting an answer."

Merchan then lamented that nearly an hour into the hearing they are still only up to reviewing post NO. 2 of 10, and the jury is set to arrive at 11 a.m. ET to resume trial proceedings.

"The people got to speak as long as they want to," Blanche said regarding the prosecutors.

"The people were answering my questions," Merchan retorted.

So far, Merchan has appeared skeptical of what Blanche has been arguing in defense of the posts. Blanche at times has been struggling to answer Merchan's questions, at one point saying, "I don't have any case law to support that. It's just common sense."

Apr 23, 10:31 AM
Prosecutors warn about seeking potential jail time

Donald Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche, during the contempt hearing on the limited gag order in the case, defended the former president's comments by arguing that Trump was responding to political attacks.

"President Trump does in fact know what the gag order allows him to do and not allow him to do," Blanche said. "There is no dispute that President Trump is facing a barrage of political attacks from all sides."

According to Blanche, while the limited gag order prohibits statements about a witness' potential participation in a case, Trump is allowed to make comments in response to political attacks from potential witnesses like Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels.

"They are talking about their very strong dislike of President Trump," Blanche said about a post related to former Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti's comments on Michael Cohen.

Judge Juan Merchan questioned Blanche about what exactly made Trump's response "political" in nature.

"You believe that everything Mr. Avenatti said does not relate to the trial, but the use of the word 'pardon' makes it political and in a sense authorizes your client to respond?" Merchan asked.

"It's everything. It can't just be a single word," Blanche responded.

"When your client is violating the gag, I expect more than one word," Merchan said.

Conroy asked Merchan to advise Trump that for future violations of the gag order, “incarceration is an option should it be necessary.”

Apr 23, 10:08 AM
Trump's remarks 'pose a very real threat,' prosecutors say

Donald Trump's alleged violations of the court-imposed limited gag order "pose a very real threat to the integrity of the judicial proceedings," prosecutor Christopher Conroy said during the hearing on whether Trump should be held in contempt.

In addition to the ten alleged gag order violations, Conroy said the district attorney's office would file an additional contempt motion later today about comments Trump made to cameras on Monday about Michael Cohen.

Among Trump's comments: "Because as you know, Cohen is a lawyer -- represented a lot of people over the years -- now, I'm not the only one. And he wasn't very good in a lot of ways, in terms of his representation, but he represented a lot of people."

"And also, the things he got in trouble for were things that had nothing to do with me. He got in trouble and went to jail. This had nothing to do with me. This had to do with the taxi-cab company that he owned, which is something -- and medallions and borrow money and a lot of things but had nothing to do with me. He represented a lot of people over the years."

"And when are they going to look at all the lies that Cohen -- did -- in the last straw he got caught lying in the last trial. So he got caught lying -- pure lying. And when are they going to look at that?"

Conroy told the judge that Trump has "violated this order repeatedly and hasn't stopped."

Conroy said Trump's conduct is "all part of his plan for this trial," accusing the former president of "conditioning his followers" by making derogatory remarks about potential witnesses.

Apr 23, 9:59 AM
Trump falsely claims his supporters can't protest

On his way into the courtroom, Trump continued to falsely claim that his supporters were being barred from protesting outside the courthouse.

“Great Americans -- people that want to come down and they want to protest at the court. And they want to protest peacefully,” he told reporters. “We have more police presence here than anyone's ever seen for blocks. You can't get near this courthouse.”

But as the day's proceedings began, the park across from the New York criminal courthouse was open and nearly empty, and the area around the courthouse is not closed off.

-Mike Pappano and Brian Hartman

Apr 23, 9:37 AM
Trump arrives in court

Donald Trump has arrived in court with his usual entourage of lawyers, staff, and secret service agents.

Trump promptly took his seat alone at the counsel table as his lawyers and paralegals worked around him set up electronics for this morning's contempt hearing, in which prosecutors will seek to have Trump held in contempt of court for repeatedly violating the case's limited gag order.

Three prosecutors -- Joshua Steinglass, Christopher Conroy, and Matthew Colangelo -- are seated at the counsel table, with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and about eight members of his office seated in the first two rows of the gallery.

Bragg appears to have two security agents seated behind him, while a dozen court officers and secret service agents surround the courtroom and former president.

Apr 23, 8:20 AM
Day 6 of trial to start with contempt hearing

Day 6 of Donald Trump's criminal trial will begin with a hearing in front of Judge Juan Merchan in which prosecutors will seek to have the former president held in contempt for repeatedly violating the limited gag order in the case.

Prosecutors have argued that Trump violated the limited gag order -- which prohibits statements about witnesses, jurors, and lawyers in the case other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg -- on at least 10 separate occasions this month, and have asked the judge to hold him in contempt of court and fine him $10,000.

Trump's lawyers have argued that prosecutors have not proven the posts in question were willful violations of the gag order, telling Merchan that the former president was defending himself from attacks by the likely witnesses.

Following the hearing, testimony in the hush money trial is scheduled to resume with former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker on the stand. Prosecutors believe he is key to understanding Trump’s motivation for paying off Stormy Daniels so damaging information did not seep into the 2016 campaign.

Apr 22, 1:28 PM
Trump, after court, says payments were correctly labeled

Moments after his criminal trial adjourned for the day, Donald Trump exited the courtroom and told reporters that his payments to Michael Cohen were appropriately labeled as legal expenses.

"Actually, nobody's been able to say what you're supposed to call it," Trump told the media. "If the lawyer puts in a bill or an invoice and you pay the bill ... that's a very small little line ... it's not like you could tell a life story."

"They marked it down for a legal expense. This is what I got indicted over," Trump said.

The former president also attempted to paint his former attorney Michael Cohen as an unreliable witness and said he "wasn't very good in a lot of ways" as an attorney.

Trump's motorcade then departed the courthouse.

-Michael Pappano

Apr 22, 12:52 PM
Court wraps for day, Pecker to return tomorrow

David Pecker stepped off the witness stand after his initial testimony. He is scheduled to return to the witness stand tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET.

During his brief testimony, Pecker suggested that former National Enquirer Chief Content Officer Dylan Howard -- an alleged participant in the catch-and-kill scheme alleged by prosecutors -- will be unable to testify due to a medical condition.

Pecker appeared to greet Trump and his lawyers as he exited the courtroom.

Court subsequently wrapped for the day.

Trump left the courtroom flanked by Secret Service agents and staffers, as well as Trump Organization General Counsel Alan Garten.

Judge Merchan is scheduled to hold a contempt hearing about Trump’s alleged violations of the case’s limited gag order tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. ET.

Apr 22, 12:27 PM
David Pecker takes the stand for prosecution

David Pecker, who once called Donald Trump "a personal friend of mine," flashed a big smile as he took the stand as the trial's first witness, belying the gravity of the moment.

Pecker cackled loudly into the microphone, jolting the room, when prosecutor Josh Steinglass, asked him about his various phone numbers that he struggled to remember.

Pecker, 72, was the publisher of the National Enquirer but prosecutors said he was "acting as a co-conspirator" in helping buy and bury damaging stories about Trump, including a doorman's false claim that Trump had fathered a love child and a Playboy model's claim of a sexual relationship with Trump, who has denied both allegations.

Trump, who once said Pecker would make a "brilliant" choice as editor of Time magazine, listened while leaning forward in his chair, arms crossed on the table, an unhappy look on his face.

Pecker testified that he had final say whether to publish any story involving a famous person.

"I had the final say of the celebrity side of the magazine," Pecker said. "We used checkbook journalism. We paid for stories."

Pecker is testifying pursuant to a subpoena. He has also secured a non-prosecution agreement with the Manhattan district attorney's office.

Apr 22, 12:10 PM
Prosecutors call David Pecker as 1st witness

Prosecutors have called former American Media Inc. executive David Pecker as their first witness.

The DA alleges that Pecker, who oversaw the National Enquirer, engaged in a conspiracy with Trump to help influence the 2016 election by killing negative stories about Trump.

Apr 22, 11:50 AM
Michael Cohen obsessed with 'getting Trump,' defense claims

In his opening statement, defense attorney Todd Blanche sought to eviscerate Michael Cohen's credibility, saying Cohen is obsessed with Donald Trump, has a desire to see Trump incarcerated and has a propensity to lie.

"He has a goal, an obsession, with getting Trump. I submit to you he cannot be trusted," Blanche said.

On Sunday night, Cohen publicly posted online that he had a "mental excitement about this trial" and the testimony he would deliver, Blanche said.

"His entire financial livelihood depends on President Trump's destruction," Blanche said. "You cannot make a serious decision about President Trump by relying on the words of Michael Cohen.

Apr 22, 11:47 AM
Trump had 'nothing to do,' with invoices, defense says

"I have a spoiler alert," defense attorney Todd Blanche told jurors during his opening statement. "There is nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It's called democracy."

Amid frequent objections from prosecutors, Blanche argued that the Manhattan district attorney has attempted to make the payments and non-disclosure agreements between Trump and Stormy Daniels "sinister" to the jury.

Judge Merchan had to interrupt Blanche's opening after multiple objections from prosecutors, then he met the parties at a sidebar conference, after which he struck a line from Blanche's opening.

"There is nothing illegal about entering into a non-disclosure agreement. Period," Blanche restated after the portion of his opening was struck from the record.

Blanche's opening has come off more casual and off-the-cuff than the state's opening, with Blanche improvising and posing hypotheticals to argue that accountants at the Trump Organization did not run the invoices by Trump as he was "running the country."

"'Hey, we got this invoice. I know we are trying to cover it up here,'" Blanche said sarcastically about how prosecutors described how accountants received invoices from Cohen. "Absolutely not."

According to Blanche, Trump was unaware of how the invoices were processed by his employees.

"President Trump has nothing to do -- nothing to do -- with the invoice, with the check being generated, or with the entry on the ledger," Blanche said, arguing that Trump was busy "in the White House while he was running the country."

"The reality is that President Trump is not on the hook -- criminally responsible -- for something Michael Cohen might have done years after the fact. The evidence will prove otherwise," Blanche said.

Apr 22, 11:38 AM
'None of this was a crime,' defense attorney says

Donald Trump is "not just our former president, he's not just Donald Trump that you've seen on TV," said defense attorney Todd Blanche in his opening statement.

"He's also a man. He's a husband," Blanche said. "He's a father."

Blanche pushed back on the DA's overall allegation that the payments to Trump's attorney Michael Cohen were weren't only payback for Stormy Daniels by using the prosecutor's own words against him.

Blanche noted that Cohen paid $130,000 to Daniels, but that Trump paid back Cohen a total of $420,000. If Trump really was a frugal businessman, as prosecutors said, why would he overpay that money, Blanche asked.

"Ask yourself, would a frugal businessman, a man who pinched his pennies, repay a $130,000 debt to the tune of $420,000?" Blanche asked.

Blanche repeatedly reiterated that Cohen truly was an attorney for Trump and was doing legal work for him, pointing out that Michael Cohen's own email signature noted he was Trump's attorney.

"None of this was a crime," Blanche said, saying the 34 counts against Trump "are really just 34 pieces of paper."

Apr 22, 11:30 AM
Trump 'did not commit any crimes,' defense tells jury

"President Trump is innocent. President Trump did not commit any crimes," defense attorney Todd Blanche said to begin the defense's opening statements.

"The Manhattan district attorney's office should never have brought this case," Blanche said.

"You will hear me and others refer to him as President Trump. That is a title he has earned because he was our 45th President," Blanche added.
 

Apr 22, 11:26 AM
Prosecutor says jury can believe Cohen despite mistakes

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told the jury, during his opening statement, "During this trial you're going to hear a lot about Michael Cohen.”

Trump's former personal attorney, Cohen is a key witness -- perhaps the only one that will testify to Donald Trump’s intent when he agreed to pay Stormy Daniels hush money.

The defense “will go to great lengths” to convince the jury Cohen is not credible, Colangelo said.

He acknowledged that Cohen had earlier lied regarding the matter. “He lied about it to protect his boss,” Colangelo said. “You will also learn that Michael Cohen has a criminal record.”

Colangelo told jurors they can believe Cohen despite his past mistakes.

“Cohen's testimony will be backed up by testimony from other witnesses you will hear from, including David Pecker, Keith Davidson. It will be backed up by an extensive paper trail. And it will be backed up by Donald Trump’s own words,” the prosecutor said.

Colangelo concluded by saying, “This case is about a criminal conspiracy and a cover-up, an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of a presidential election and then the steps that Donald Trump took to conceal that election fraud. At the end of the case we are confident you will have no reasonable doubt that Donald Trump is guilty of falsifying business records.”

Apr 22, 11:16 AM
'It was election fraud, pure and simple,' prosecutor says

"It was election fraud, pure and simple," prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told the jury during opening statements as he outlined the hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and how it was logged by the Trump Organization

Dylan Howard, then editor of the National Enquirer, had called Trump attorney Michael Cohen to inform him about Daniels and the story that she had of a sexual liaison with Trump, which the former president has long denied.

"Cohen then discussed the situation with Trump who is adamant that he did not want the story to come out," Colangelo said. "it could have been devastating to his campaign."

At the time, Trump and the campaign were "deeply concerned" about the "Access Hollywood" video, the prosecutor said. Cohen wired the $130,000 to Daniels' lawyer to keep her quiet.

"Cohen made that payment at Donald Trump's direction and for his benefit and he did it with the special goal of influencing the election
This was not spin or communications strategy. This was a planned, coordinated long-running conspiracy to influence the 2016 election to help DT get elected through illegal expenditures to silence people who had something bad about his behavior. It was election fraud, pure and simple," Colangelo said.

Apr 22, 11:10 AM
'Access Hollywood' tape was 'explosive,' prosecutors claim

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo read aloud part of the transcript of the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape to jurors.

"You can do anything," Colangelo slowly read to the jurors, quoting Trump from the tape. "Grab them by the p----. You can do anything."

According to Colangelo, the October 2016 release of the tape had an "immediate and explosive" impact on Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

"Seeing and hearing a candidate in his own words, in his own voice, with his own body language ... has a much greater impact on voters than words on paper," Colangelo said. "The campaign went on immediate damage control mode to blunt the impact of the tape."

The campaign was concerned about the impact it might have on Trump voters or even the possibility that Trump could lose the Republican nomination one month out from the election, according to Colangelo.

"The Republican National Committee even considered whether it was too late to replace their own nominee," Colangelo said.

Apr 22, 11:04 AM
Trump, listening to openings, shakes his head

Former President Trump, sitting at the defense table, softly shook his head "no" when prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told the jurors that Trump formed a "conspiracy" with Michael Cohen and David Pecker to "help him get elected."

It was one of the most notable reactions from Trump as he sits and listens to prosecutors lay out their story of the case.

Colangelo then brought up the "Access Hollywood" tape and said it showed Trump "bragging about sexual assault," Trump shook his head no again, pursing his lips. He did not react when Colangelo, quoting Trump on the tape, said, "grab them by the p----."

Earlier, as Colangelo brought up a former Trump doorman who was he said was paid off as part of the alleged catch-and-kill scheme, Trump -- looking annoyed -- leaned over and tapped his lawyer Todd Blanche. When Colangelo said the doorman was paid $30,000 to bury his story, Trump raised his eyebrows and grabbed onto a pen.

The former president has been passing notes and sliding papers between Blanche and attorney Emil Bove, and leaning side-to-side, whispering to them. Blanche at one point pulled out his own sticky note and slid a note back to Trump.

At other times he has hardly seemed engaged at all, slumping in his red leather chair looking straight forward with no facial expression, or fidgeting with his head tilting back and forth. At one point during jury instructions he let out a yawn.

Apr 22, 10:48 AM
Prosecutor alleges 3-prong conspiracy

"It starts with that August 2015 meeting in Trump Tower," prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told jurors about the alleged conspiracy, in his opening statement.

Following a meeting between Donald Trump, his then-lawyer Michael Cohen, and AMI executive David Pecker, the three engaged in a three-prong conspiracy to help influence the 2016 election, according to Colangelo.

First, the National Enquirer would run "headline after headline that extolled the defendant's virtues," according to Colangelo.

"Pecker had the ultimate say over publication decisions," Colangelo said, adding that Trump edited, killed, and suggested the cover of the magazine.

Second, the National Enquirer would run negative stories attacking Trump's opponents in the 2016 Republican primary, such as attacks on Ben Caron or Marco Rubio.

Third, the "core of the conspiracy" was killing negative stories about Trump -- evolving into the catch-and kill scheme, Colangelo said.

"The National Enquirer ran these stories as part of the conspiracy launched after the Trump Tower meeting," he said.

Apr 22, 10:40 AM
'This case is about a criminal conspiracy,' prosecutor says

"This case is about a criminal conspiracy," prosecutor Matthew Colangelo began his opening statement in Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York.

"The defendant, Donald Trump, orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election," the prosecutor said.

The utterance represents the first time a prosecutor has sought to implicate a former president in a crime at his trial.

Colangelo said Trump schemed with his attorney Michael Cohen and National Enquirer publisher David Pecker "to influence the presidential election by concealing negative information about former President Trump."

Trump slouched in his seat the defense table, listening.

"The defendant said in his business records that he was paying Cohen for legal services pursuant to a retainer agreement. But those were lies," Colangelo said. "The defendant was paying him back for an illegal payment to Stormy Daniels on the eve of the election."

Apr 22, 10:21 AM
Trump is 'presumed to be innocent,' judge tells jury

Donald Trump faced forward and did not appear to make eye contact with any jurors as they entered the courtroom and took their seats in the jury box.

Before any of the lawyers in the case could speak a word, Judge Merchan launched into a lengthy speech outlining how the trial will work.

“We are about to begin the trial of People of the State of New York v. Donald Trump,” Merchan told the 12 jurors and six alternates.

Merchan emphasized that the burden of proof rests on the prosecutors and that jurors should presume that Trump is innocent. A guilty verdict requires that each juror determines that the state proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt, Merchan said.

“The defendant is presumed to be innocent,” Merchan said. “It is not sufficient to prove that the defendant is probably guilty.”

Merchan attempted to set expectations for the jurors, only two of which have ever served on a jury before. For example, Merchan told the jurors not to expect the lawyers to launch into lengthy speeches outside of the opening and closing statements.

“That happens in TV and in movies, but it doesn’t happen in real trials,” Merchan said.

Apr 22, 10:09 AM
Judge issues mixed ruling on cross-examination of Trump

Judge Juan Merchan ruled that if Trump takes the stand, prosecutors can question him about a number of previous legal issues -- but the judge limited the scope of the cases and the extent to which prosecutors can question him about the facts of those cases.

The ruling is a mixed bag for Trump, who had sought to entirely block questioning on these previous issues if he takes the stand.

Judge Merchan ruled that Trump can be questioned by the DA's office on six determinations from four previous proceedings, including aspects of his New York civil fraud case and the gag order violations there, as well as both E. Jean Carrol verdicts and the Trump foundation case.

Prosecutors had originally asked to question Trump about six different proceedings with 13 total determinations.

Merchan said with his ruling, he has "greatly curtailed" how much prosecutors can discuss the underlying facts of those cases.

"The court cautions the defendant that this Sandoval ruling is a shield, not a sword," Merchan said.

Apr 22, 9:59 AM
Schedule set for today's proceedings

Prosecutors told Judge Merchan that they need 40 minutes for their opening statements.

Defense attorneys told the judge they need 25 minutes.

The judge also announced that court will break at 12:30 p.m. ET today, after a juror had a toothache and got an emergency appointment this afternoon.

Court had already been scheduled to end early today, at 2 p.m. ET, due to the Passover holiday.

Apr 22, 9:52 AM
Issue with Juror No. 9 is resolved

Judge Juan Merchan announced there is an issue with Juror No. 9 -- who, according to Merchan, "was concerned about media attention" of the case. According to Merchan, the juror "wasn't 100% sure" they could serve.

Merchan said they would speak to the juror in chambers to "find out what the issue is and see if this juror can continue to serve."

After a brief sidebar, the judge announced: “Juror No. 9 is going to remain with us.”

There are six alternate jurors seated in case any of the 12 jurors cannot serve.

Apr 22, 9:44 AM
Trump tells reporters it's a 'sad day in America'

On his way into the courtroom for the day's proceedings, Trump once again alleged that the trial constitutes election interference, claiming that the proceedings are unfairly keeping him off the campaign trail.

"Everybody knows that I'm here instead of being able to be in Pennsylvania and Georgia and lots of other places campaigning, and it's very unfair," he told reporters.

"It's a very, very sad day in America," he said. "I can tell you that."

The former president is seated at the defense table between his lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove.

Apr 22, 9:37 AM
Proceedings are underway

The proceedings are underway in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial. Trump and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg are both in the courtroom.

Three prosecutors -- Joshua Steinglass, Matthew Colangelo, and Susan Hoffinger -- are seated at the counsel table.

Bragg is seated in the front row of the gallery with approximately a dozen lawyers and staff from his office.

Apr 22, 9:26 AM
Ex-National Enquirer publisher to be 1st witness, say sources

The first witness prosecutors with the Manhattan DA's office plan to call is former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

ABC News previously reported that prosecutors planned to call Pecker as a witness, but sources now say he's expected to be the first witness to take the stand.

Pecker served as the longtime chief executive of American Media Inc., which published the National Enquirer.

Shortly after Trump announced his 2016 presidential campaign, Pecker met with Trump and agreed to act as the "eyes and ears" of the campaign by looking out for and killing negative stories about Trump, according to the Manhattan DA.

As part of the arrangement, Pecker allegedly directed a deal to pay $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman regarding the false allegation that Trump allegedly fathered a child out of wedlock, prosecutors say. Then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen allegedly insisted that the deal stay in place even after AMI discovered the allegation was false, and AMI paid the doorman, according to the Manhattan DA.

Apr 22, 5:55 AM
Attorneys to present opening statements in historic trial

After a week-long selection process, the jurors in Donald Trump's New York hush money case will hear opening statements Monday in the first criminal trial of a former United States president.

To prove their case, lawyers for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg need to convince 12 jurors beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump repeatedly falsified records related to unlawfully influencing the 2016 presidential election.

"This case has nothing to do with your personal politics or your feelings about a particular political issue," prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told potential jurors on Thursday. "It's not a referendum on the Trump Presidency, a popularity contest, or any indication of who you plan to vote for this fall. This case is about whether this man broke the law."

Trump's lawyers are expected to focus their efforts on going after the credibility of prosecution witnesses, suggesting the case itself is politically motivated and arguing the former president never intended to commit a crime.

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(LOS ANGELES) -- When federal agents raided the house of rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs last month -- as part of a case in which Combs denies wrongdoing -- it wasn't the FBI but rather agents from Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, who led the way.

That put the agency, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, in a fresh spotlight.

But HSI has long been familiar to those who track immigration-related law enforcement for its ties to its parent agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is something that HSI is now trying to change.

The agency on Tuesday is going through a rebrand, changing their website from being associated with ICE to just HSI.gov.

That reflects an intentional push to distance HSI's work from immigration policy, which has increasingly fueled Democratic attacks on ICE and led some cities, counties and states to enact so-called "sanctuary" policies to prevent cooperation with ICE officials related to a suspect's immigration status.

$8 billion US military aid package to Taiwan will 'boost confidence' in region: president-elect
"So many of our stakeholders are our law enforcement partners, the American public, private sector partners, NGOs -- [they] are often confused about what we do, and the civil immigration enforcement side of the ICE mission is not what HSI does," HSI Acting Director Katrina Berger told ABC News in an interview.

"Having a being branded as ICE, having an ICE email address, we're oftentimes not able to partner with law enforcement in certain jurisdictions that aren't working with ICE, oftentimes college campuses, schools," Berger said.

The rebrand is a better opportunity for HSI to inform the public about what they do -- and keep criminals off the streets, Berger said.

HSI's mission is broad, officials note, from preventing terrorists from entering the country to identifying and supporting victims that are rescued from child exploitation situations to stopping financial fraud and the flow of counterfeit goods.

"We focus on our mission which is the global investigation of transnational crime impacting or our communities, and that really gets lost out there," Berger said. "We are a criminal law enforcement agency."

HSI will still be under ICE, but the new distance in identification will help with outreach to the public, according to Berger.

One of HSI's core missions is "to better educate teachers, children, teenagers on a lot of the bad things that can happen online with child predators," she explained. "I think [rebranding] is a big step forward."

"We're just able to independently brand ourselves, to better show people exactly what we do to keep the American public safe," she said.

Berger said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas had authorized the rebrand, which could be a morale boost for agents.

"It gives us more opportunities to work better with our partners or communities," she said.

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(CHICAGO) -- Hoping for a break in the homicide investigation of Chicago police Officer Luis Huesca, investigators have released security video of a person of interest wanted in the killing.

The Chicago Police Department posted a series of surveillance videos of an unidentified man wanted in the fatal shooting early Sunday, in which 30-year-old Huesca's gun and car were taken after he was gunned down while on his way home after work.

Police warned that the person should be considered armed and dangerous.

"If you see this individual, DO NOT APPROACH! Call 911," police said in a post on X.

Authorities asked anyone who recognized the man to call detectives immediately.

The time stamp on one of the videos of the person of interest shows it was taken just minutes before Huesca was killed at 2:52 a.m. local time Sunday.

Huesca, a six-year veteran of the CPD who worked in the police department's 5th District as a member of the Priority Response Team, was shot multiple times outside his home in the Gage Park neighborhood on the southwest side of Chicago, police said.

Huesca was still in his uniform when he was fatally shot, according to Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling. He was killed two days shy of his 31st birthday, the superintendent said.

Citing multiple sources, Chicago ABC station WLS reported the officer's gun was taken after he was shot. The CPD has not yet confirmed the report.

The officer's vehicle, a gray 2018 Toyota 4Runner with Illinois plates, was also taken during the incident, police said.

It was the second time in less than a year that an officer from the 5th District was shot to death under similar circumstances.

On May 6, 2023, officer Aréanah Preston had just finished her shift and was still in uniform when she was shot and killed while on her way home at about 1:42 a.m., according to Chicago police. Preston's gun was also taken after she was shot, police said.

Four teenagers have been charged in the murder of 24-year-old Preston, according to court documents.

The four suspects "were out looking for victims" that night and are believed to be connected to multiple robberies and a car theft in the hours leading up to Preston's killing, police said.

On Sunday morning, police officers responding to a gunshot detection alert found the mortally wounded Huesca lying outside on the ground suffering from several gunshot wounds, according to a police statement. He was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

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Chicago Alderman Ray Lopez -- who represents Chicago's 15th Ward, which includes Gage Park -- told WLS that police found a car matching the description of Huesca's vehicle in an alley about a mile from where Huesca was discovered.

"The vehicle found in the alley here, we believe it is the officer's," Lopez said. "If this was a carjacking, there might be evidence inside."

Chicago police have not commented on the recovered vehicle.

Snelling said Sunday that detectives are working to determine if the officer was killed during a carjacking.

"We can't confirm that right now, but detectives are working through it. What we do know is that the officer's vehicle was taken," Snelling said. "But to get to the total motive of what happened, we need more information and the detective division is working on that."

Commander Tyrone Pendarvis, who oversees Huesca's 5th District, said he saw the surveillance video for the first time Monday night.

"It's a heavy load," Pendarvis said. "Me and my officers are finding it difficult, but we're going to go on."
 

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(OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.) -- A man killed his wife and three of his children in an apparent murder-suicide mass shooting at a home in Oklahoma, according to police.

Oklahoma City police said they were notified around 9:35 a.m. Monday and responding officers found the five bodies inside the house.

Jonathon Candy, 42, allegedly fatally shot his wife, 39-year-old Lindsay Candy, and three of their children: 18-year-old Dylan, 14-year-old Ethan and 12-year-old Lucas, according to police.

A fourth child was found unharmed in the house, police said.

"It remains a mystery as to what caused Mr. Candy to murder his wife and three of his children," police said in a statement Tuesday. "Anyone with information should call the Homicide Tip-Line at 405/297-1200."

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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(NEW YORK) -- Lawyers for the Manhattan district attorney, in a hearing Tuesday morning, will attempt to convince the judge overseeing Donald Trump's criminal hush money case to hold the former president in contempt for repeatedly violating the limited gag order in the case.

Prosecutors have argued that Trump violated the limited gag order -- which prohibits statements about witnesses, jurors and lawyers in the case other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg -- on at least 10 separate occasions this month. They asked Judge Juan Merchan hold Trump in contempt of court and fine Trump $10,000.

"The defendant has demonstrated his willingness to flout the order. He has attacked witnesses in the case in the past," prosecutor Christopher Conroy told Merchan last week. "We're asking the court to remind the defendant that further violations of the court's order could result in jail time."

The former president is on trial in New York on felony charges of falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.

Prosecutors highlighted seven instances this month in which Trump made a social media post mentioning likely witnesses Cohen or Daniels, two instances when his campaign website reposted information about Cohen, and one instance where Trump suggested that "undercover liberal activists" are trying to infiltrate the case's jury.

Five of the ten alleged violations are instances when Trump or his campaign reposted an article in the New York Post that suggested the case relied on the testimony of "serial perjurer" Michael Cohen.

"We think that it is important for the court to remind Mr. Trump that he is a criminal defendant, and like all criminal defendants, he is subject to court supervision and, in particular, this court's obligation to preserve the integrity of the Criminal Justice System," Conroy said.

Last Monday, prosecutors initially requested a $3,000 fine and contempt finding after flagging three social media posts by Trump. By Thursday, prosecutors identified seven additional violations, including some which Trump appeared to post from within the courthouse during his trial.

"It's ridiculous. It has to stop," Conroy said.

While prosecutors said that they plan to request financial penalties at Tuesday's hearing, they left the door open for stiffer penalties -- including possible jail time -- if Trump continues to willfully violate the order.

Trump's lawyers have argued that prosecutors have not proven the posts were willful violations of the gag order, telling Merchan that the former president was defending himself from attacks by the likely witnesses.

"It's not as if President Trump is going out and targeting individuals," defense attorney Todd Blanche said last week. "He's responding to salacious, repeated attacks by these witnesses."

Defense lawyers also argued that the gag order -- which prohibits Trump from making public statements about likely witnesses related their participation in the case -- is vague and allows Trump to make "political" statements. He also argued that at least four of the alleged violations should be tossed since they are reposts of the same statement.

"The Gag Order did not prohibit President Trump from responding to political attacks, and we submit that's what he is doing in these posts," defense attorney Emil Bove said last week.

Trump has been subject to two other gag orders in his legal cases, including a limited gag order in his New York civil fraud case that he violated on two occasions and a separate gag order imposed by the judge overseeing his federal election interference case. In both cases, appeals courts have affirmed the constitutionality of the gag orders.

In recent weeks, Trump has compared himself to Nelson Mandela when discussing violations of the limited gag order in his New York criminal case, raising the stakes of Tuesday's hearing where prosecutors hope to curtail Trump's attacks on witnesses.

"If this Partisan Hack wants to put me in the 'clink' for speaking the open and obvious TRUTH, I will gladly become a Modern Day Nelson Mandela -- It will be my GREAT HONOR," Trump said in a social media post earlier this month.

The hearing also comes amid rising stakes in the criminal trial, as jurors hear testimony from the first witness called by the Manhattan district attorney. Prosecutors have argued that some of Trump's posts about Cohen and Daniels may be "interpreted as an effort to intimidate potential witnesses."

Trump was also reprimanded by Merchan during jury selection last week for audible "muttering" while a prospective juror was speaking, which Merchan interpreted as intimidating.

"He was speaking in the direction of the juror. I will not tolerate that. I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I want to make that crystal clear," said Judge Merchan.

The looming contempt hearing does not appear to have fazed Trump, who continued his attack on Cohen during remarks at the conclusion of Monday's proceedings.

"When are they going to look at all the lies that Cohen did at the last trial? He got caught lying in the last trial. He got caught lying -- pure lying," Trump said.

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(NEW YORK) -- More than 150 people were arrested at New York University on Monday night, police said, as pro-Palestinian protests spread on college campuses throughout the country.

Students, faculty and others were arrested after school officials asked the New York Police Department for help clearing a plaza on NYU's Manhattan campus, police said. Many of those arrested were "still being processed through the night and most if not all will be released," the department said.

The arrests came days after more than 100 people, including many students, were arrested while protesting at Columbia University. Protests have grown at other schools, including Yale University, since the Israel-Hamas war began in October.

"There is a pattern of behavior occurring on campuses across our nation, in which individuals attempt to occupy a space in defiance of school policy," Kaz Daughtry, the NYPD's deputy commissioner for operations, said in a social media post. "Rest assured, in NYC the NYPD stands ready to address these prohibited and subsequently illegal actions whenever we are called upon."

Protesters at NYU on Monday broke through barriers that had been set up around Gould Plaza, a square outside the Stern School of Business, the school's Global Campus Safety department said in a statement.

Officials warned those who'd entered the square on Monday that they needed to clear the plaza by 4 p.m.

"If you leave now, no one will face any consequences for today’s actions—no discipline, no police," safety officials said in a message delivered to those in the plaza. 

That message was also shared on the university's official social media channels.

"The one safety requirement we made was that no additional protestors could enter Gould Plaza," the message said. "With the breach of the barricades early this afternoon, that requirement was violated, and we witnessed disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing behavior that has interfered with the safety and security of our community."

NYU officials appealed to the NYPD for help, according to a letter shared by Daughtry, the NYDP deputy commissioner.

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(BALTIMORE) -- The Dali, the container ship that left the Port of Baltimore in the early hours of March 26, before crashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, toppling a portion of it, set sail despite its "unseaworthy" conditions, according to a Monday court filing from the City of Baltimore.

In the court document, the city argues that the ship's parent company, Grace Ocean Private Ltd., should be held liable for crashing into the Key Bridge. The filing was in response to Grace Ocean Private Ltd.'s request to limit their liability in damages they have to pay.

In previous filings, GOPL has argued that it shouldn't be held liable for the crash that left six construction workers dead and a length of the bridge wiped out.

The owner of the Dali cargo ship filed a federal lawsuit earlier this month denying responsibility for the accident and seeking to limit the total payout to $43.7 million, a fraction of the billions the cleanup and bridge rebuild is expected to cost. The company is using a law from 1851, the Limitation of Liability Act from that year, in its quest to limit its liability.

The city said that 12 minutes after the Dali left port, despite warning signs, it crashed into the bridge.

"Reporting has indicated that, even before leaving port, alarms showing inconsistent power supply on the Dali had sounded," a lawyer for the city of Baltimore said in the filing. "The Dali left port anyways despite its clearly unseaworthy condition."

The city of Baltimore is arguing that for four decades, thousands of cargo ships have passed through the port of Baltimore without incident, making it one of the busiest ports in America.

The Dali's "negligence" is grounds for the company to pay the city for the incident, the city argues.

"For all intents and purposes, Petitioner's negligence caused them to destroy the Key Bridge, and single handedly destroy the Port of Baltimore, a source of jobs, municipal revenue and no small amount of pride for the city of Baltimore and its residents," the city's filing reads.

The company has yet to file a response to the allegations.

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(NEW YORK) -- A kidnapping suspect has been arrested after video on an Oregon home-security camera appeared to show a woman being carried away against her will.

The victim was found safe, Hillsboro police said Tuesday. The suspect and victim knew each other, police said, noting this was not a random attack.

The video, which has been viewed by ABC News, was shot at about 10:45 p.m. Sunday. It appears to show a woman with glasses ringing a doorbell and waiting for someone to answer.

A man with a beard appears to approach and to carry her away against her will, police said. The woman was "crying for help before she was picked up and carried away by the above pictured male," police said in the bulletin, which included screengrabs of the woman and man from the video.

"They appear to have left in a white pickup," police said.

Police said they were notified of the apparent kidnapping Monday morning, and they published the images of the suspect and victim to try to get help from the public.

By Tuesday morning, police said the suspect and victim were identified and the suspect was taken into custody.

The suspect, whose name was not released, is charged with kidnapping, police said.

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(NEW YORK) -- West Richland police in Washington state are asking for the public's help in locating a murder suspect they say is "armed" and "dangerous," after a woman was pronounced deceased outside a local school on Monday.

Authorities have identified the suspect as 40-year-old Elias Huizar. Police are also searching for a silver, 2009 Toyota Corolla with Washington plates CBZ4745. Anyone who sees the suspect or the vehicle should call 911, police said.

The suspect is also wanted for allegedly abducting a 1-year-old child with the same last name as his, according to an Amber Alert issued by Washington State Patrol. Huizar is suspected of murdering his ex-wife and girlfriend, according to the alert.

Officers from the West Richland Police Department responded at 3:23 p.m. PT following an alert of a shooting on the grounds of Wiley Elementary School, police said.

An adult female was pronounced deceased outside of the school, police said on Monday afternoon.

Hours later, authorities said they found another homicide victim, "a known associate of the suspect," while serving a search warrant at Huizar's residence. No further details about the victim were made available by police.

In addition to considering Huizar "armed" and "dangerous," police said he is "likely to commit more crimes."

Huizar may be headed to Mexico, according to the Amber Alert.

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(NEW YORK) -- Lawyers for Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of stabbing to death four Idaho college students in 2022, can continue their survey of prospective jurors in the state, the judge overseeing his case has ruled.

Kohberger's lawyers had hired a consultant to conduct community phone polling ahead of his upcoming capital murder trial in order to gauge the attitude and potential bias of people who could one day decide his fate.

That survey -- which had become a source of pretrial contention -- can now proceed without changing any of the questions, including the nine with which prosecutors have taken issue.

"The defense may continue its surveys without modification to the survey questions," Judge John Judge, overseeing the case, said in his order filed Friday and posted to the docket Monday afternoon.

Judge had put the so-called non-dissemination order in place to preserve Kohberger’s right to a fair trial in the high-profile case.

The "goal" of the gag order "is to ensure a fair and impartial jury can be impaneled so that Defendant receives a fair trial," Judge said. "If defense counsel believes asking these survey questions, which arguably contain prejudicial information or misinformation about Defendant, is more beneficial than harmful, as Defendant's expert testified, this Court does not, at this juncture, have sufficient information or evidence to second guess that strategic decision by trial counsel."

Previously, prosecutor Bill Thompson, leading the case against Kohberger, argued some of the survey questions commissioned by Kohberger's defense had effectively poisoned the opinions of 400 local community members beyond repair. He said in documents and in court that some of the pollster queries not only violated the gag order, but that a few of the questions spread false information about the case, and could foster a "false impression" amongst potential jurors.

Kohberger's lead attorney, Anne Taylor, argued their poll questions were based on information obtained in the "public record," and discussed in the media -- and, moreover, the fact that some of the information was untrue was part of the point since, Taylor said, the rumor mill can influence opinion as effectively as fact, and gauging bias is exactly their aim determining whether a local jury pool could be fair and impartial.

Here's how the judge assessed the nine questions "at issue" in his ruling:

Six of the questions came from the probable cause affidavit, which is publicly available; thus, asking about it does not violate the gag order.

One of the questions "was not based on admissible or inadmissible 'evidence' but instead asked about the feelings" of community members in Moscow, Idaho, where the killings allegedly occurred -- therefore, it did not violate the gag order.

The remaining two questions, which asked about certain "media items," were "read into the public record and discussed at length" during the recent hearings litigating the survey, "including the fact that these 'media items' may not be true," the judge said. "Because the information is now in the public record, the Court does not see any benefit in preventing the defense from continuing its surveys or requiring that the two questions at issue be eliminated."

Kohberger's team will now be able to proceed with their survey, which is part of their larger attempt to convince the judge to move the trial to a different county, arguing the local jury pool has been tainted by pre-trial publicity. That survey, Kohberger lawyer Taylor has said, already determined that the Latah County pool of potential jurors would not be able to be fair and impartial in his case. Now, Taylor has said, they want to assess potential bias in other areas of the state, where it could be heard by jurors who have not been exposed to more than a year of news coverage about the case. Prosecutors, for their part, have argued the “national, if not international attention” this case has received makes moving it from one Idaho county to another futile.

Objecting to some of the survey questions, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson read nine examples aloud in court, which he said "concern" their team "immensely":

"Question. Have you read, seen or heard if Bryan Kohberger was arrested at his parents' home in Pennsylvania?" Thompson read during an April 4 hearing.

Additional questions Thompson’s team was concerned with are:

"Question: Have you read, seen or heard if police found a knife sheath on the bed next to one of the victims?"

"Question. Have you read, seen or heard that DNA found on the knife sheath was later matched to Bryan Kohberger?"

"Question: Have you read, seen or heard if Bryan Kohberger owned the same type of car recorded on video driving in the neighborhood where the killings occurred?"

"Have you seen -- read seen or heard – if the cell phone tower data showed that Bryan Kohberger made several trips near the victims' home in the month before the killing?"

"Have you read, seen or heard if university students in Moscow and their parents lived in fear until Bryan Kohberger was arrested for the murders?"

"Have you read, seen or heard if Bryan Kohberger said that he was out driving alone on the night of the murders?"

"Have you read, seen or heard if Bryan Kohberger stalked one of the victims?"

"Have you read, seen or heard if Bryan Kohberger had followed one of the victims on social media?"

Prosecutors allege that in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 2022, Kohberger, then a criminology Ph.D. student at nearby Washington State University, broke into an off-campus home and stabbed four University of Idaho students to death: Ethan Chapin, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.

After a six-week investigation, police zeroed in on Kohberger as the suspect, arresting him in December 2022 at his family's home in Pennsylvania. He was indicted in May 2023 and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. At his arraignment, he declined to offer a plea, so the judge entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf.

Kohberger could face the death penalty if convicted.

His lawyers have said their client wasn't in the home where the homicides occurred and was out driving that night. Lawyers also say they'll have expert cell phone tower data analysis to back that up.

A trial date has not yet been set.

A hearing on Kohberger's request for a change of venue is set for June 27.

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(NEW YORK) -- A judge has declared a mistrial in the criminal case against 75-year-old Arizona rancher George Alan Kelly, accused of fatally shooting a migrant on his property near the U.S.-Mexico border, the court confirmed Monday night.

Jurors had been deliberating since Thursday afternoon.

Kelly was charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault in the Jan. 30, 2023, fatal shooting of Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, 48, a migrant who lived across the border in Nogales, Mexico. He had pleaded not guilty.

Law enforcement officials said Cuen-Buitimea was traveling with a group of migrants who ran when they saw border patrol agents in the area. Cuen-Buitimea and another migrant were allegedly heading back to the southern side of the border when they passed through Kelly's cattle ranch.

It's then that prosecutors alleged Kelly recklessly fired his AK-47 from a distance of about 115 yards, fatally striking Cuen-Buitimea in the back.

During the trial, prosecutors pointed out inconsistent statements Kelly made to law enforcement officials throughout the investigation.

According to prosecutors, Kelly initially told Jeremy Marcel -- a border patrol agent who worked as a ranch liaison -- he was returning fire after being shot at by a group of five armed individuals who were wearing packs and running southbound.

Prosecutors claimed Kelly at first failed to tell law enforcement agents he shot his weapon. Prosecutors said his story changed minutes later when he told law enforcement officials it was a group of about 10-15 people armed with AR-style rifles.

Authorities say Cuen-Buitimea was unarmed and they were unable to find evidence that another weapon had been fired.

"When you see two unarmed migrants walking southbound beyond two fence lines and you take your AK-47, you walk out and don't say a word, point it at them and you shoot, would that be what a reasonable person would do in that situation?" prosecutor Mike Jette asked the jury during his closing arguments. "The answer has to be no."

Kelly's lawyers tried to poke holes in the prosecutor's account of the incident and accused law enforcement officials of failing to follow other leads that would have cleared their client of any wrongdoing. They also accused law enforcement of falsely claiming that Kelly admitted to shooting at multiple people.

"That was not true, Alan never said that. Law enforcement wasn't listening and they didn't care, they already decided that he was guilty," said defense attorney Brenna Larkin.

The defense claimed Kelly was protecting himself and his wife and only fired warning shots several yards above the group.

Authorities were not able to find the bullet that struck Cuen-Buitimea. The defense claimed he was shot by another person in the group.

Lead detective Jorge Ainza testified during the trial and told Kelly's attorneys he believed Kelly shot at Cuen-Buitimea.

"There is no other shot involved in this. The victim sustained a serious injury from a high-powered rifle, an AK-47 rifle with a trajectory directly from Mr. Kelly's residence," he said.

During the trial, jurors visited Kelly's ranch. Investigators said they found a total of nine shell casings outside of his home that fit the pattern of shots fired in Cuen-Buitimea's direction.

Jurors also heard testimony from Daniel Ramirez, a migrant who said he was with Cuen-Buitimea who he claimed grabbed his chest and said, "I'm hit" before dying.

Ramirez testified that they were being smuggled into the United States and were not trafficking drugs. Ramirez admitted to smuggling marijuana on one previous occasion to reduce the fee he owed smugglers to get him across the border.

Kelly was charged with aggravated assault against Ramirez.

Prosecutors also showed jurors text messages allegedly sent by Kelly, which prosecution claimed showed his state of mind in the weeks before the shooting.

"OVERUN WITH DRUG CARTEL. AK GTN A LOT OF WORK," one text message read.

Court documents obtained by ABC News showed another text message exchange between Kelly and a friend on Nov. 23, 2022. The friend asked Kelly what his plans were for Thanksgiving.

"PATROLN THE BORDER 4 U NORTHENRS!" Kelly said.

"Shoot straight," the friend replied.

"OR SHOOT MANY ROUNDS!" Kelly responded.

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(LOS ANGELES) -- A woman was fatally stabbed on a Metro train in Los Angeles early Monday, police said, and a suspect has been detained.

The woman was attacked around 5 a.m. while on the train, "somewhere between the last stop and here at Universal City station," Los Angeles police Detective Meghan Aguilar told reporters.

The victim got off the train at Universal City station and was taken to a hospital where she died, according to police.

The suspect also got off the train at Universal City and fled on foot, according to police.

Around 5:30 a.m., officers saw a person matching the suspect description and apprehended him, police said.

"Detectives are in the process of interviewing him," police said in a statement. "They strongly believe he is the suspect based on witnesses and other evidence."

A motive for the attack was not clear.

Crimes reported on Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority properties have increased by 65% since 2020 and average monthly violent crimes on MTA properties rose more than 15% between March 2023 and February 2024, according to LAPD data compiled by ABC News.

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(NEW YORK) -- A luxury handbag designer has been jailed after pleading guilty to smuggling purses made of the skins of protected reptiles, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Nancy Teresa Gonzalez de Barberi, found of the luxury handbag company Gzuniga, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Monday for illegally importing merchandise from Colombia to the United States that was made from protected wildlife, authorities said.

Mauricio Giraldo, an associate of Gonzalez, was also sentenced to prison, according to the Department of Justice.

“Gzuniga was ordered to forfeit all handbags and other previously seized product, banned for three years from any activities involving commercial trade in wildlife and sentenced to serve three years of probation,” officials said. “Gonzalez was sentenced to 18 months in prison with credit for time served, a supervised release of three years and to pay a special assessment. Giraldo was sentenced to time served, approximately 22 months based on incarceration in Colombia and the United States since his extradition, a year of supervised release and to pay a special assessment.”

Another co-conspirator, John Camilo Aguilar Jaramillo, had previously pleaded guilty on April 8 and is set to be sentenced on June 27, authorities said.

Gonzalez, Giraldo and Jaramillo are Colombian citizens and were extradited to the United States to face the charges brought against them.

The caiman and python species the company was making bags out of are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which both the United States and Colombia are signatories. The trade in caimans and pythons is not completely banned but is strictly regulated under CITES rules.

“The United States signed on to CITES in an effort to help protect threatened and endangered species here and abroad from trafficking,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division in a statement released by the Department of Justice on Monday. “We will not tolerate illegal smuggling. We appreciate the efforts of our many federal and international partners who have helped with the investigation, extradition and prosecution of this case.”

The conspirators brought “hundreds of designer purses, handbags and totes into the United States by enlisting friends, relatives and even employees of Gonzalez’s manufacturing company in Colombia to wear the designer handbags or put them in their luggage while traveling on passenger airlines,” authorities said.

Once the merchandise was in the United States, the bags were delivered or shipped to the Gzuniga showroom in New York to be displayed and sold.

“The United States, in company with the international community, has established a system for overseeing the trafficking in protected species of wildlife. That system relies on a system of permits and oversight by many agencies and demands strict compliance by all those engaged in such trade,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “The press of business, production deadlines or other economic factors are not justification for anyone to knowingly flout the system and attempt to write their own exceptions to wildlife trafficking laws. In cooperation with our international partners, our Office will continue to require strict adherence to laws that protect our endangered species.”

An indictment charged Gzuniga, Gonzalez, Giraldo and Jaramillo with one count of conspiracy and two counts of smuggling for illegally importing designer handbags made from caiman and python skin from February 2016 to April 2019.

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is deeply committed to combatting wildlife trafficking in all its forms. The Gonzalez case underscores the importance of robust collaboration with federal and international partners to disrupt illegal wildlife trade networks,” said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement. “This investigation uncovered a multi-year scheme that involved paid couriers smuggling undeclared handbags made of CITES-protected reptile skins into the U.S. to be sold for thousands of dollars. The Service will continue to seek justice for protected species exploited for profit, and we will hold accountable those who seek to circumvent international controls meant to regulate their sustainable trade.”

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(TOPEKA, Kan.) -- Karen, a “vibrant and beloved” ostrich who made her home at the Topeka Zoo, has died after swallowing a zoo staffer’s set of keys, zoo officials said.

The untimely passing was announced by the Topeka Zoo on Friday after Karen “tragically succumbed to complications arising from consuming a foreign object.”

“The circumstances surrounding Karen's passing serve as a solemn reminder of the importance of vigilance and care in maintaining the safety of our animal inhabitants. In this instance, Karen reached beyond her exhibit fence to grab the keys of a staff member,” the Topeka Zoo said in their announcement. “She immediately swallowed the keys.”

Officials from the zoo consulted with experts across the country to undergo surgical and non-surgical efforts to minimize the impact of the keys but these efforts ultimately proved to be unsuccessful.

“The Topeka Zoo remains committed to ensuring the well-being of all our animals, implementing rigorous protocols to safeguard against such incidents in the future,” officials said.

Karen had been an “adored resident” of the Topeka Zoo since the opening of Giraffe & Friends in March of 2023, the zoo said. Karen was known for her water loving habits “like swimming in the pool, playing in the sprinkler, and, best of all, being our ‘dancing queen’” and the zoo said that guests and staff were able to form “deep connections with her, captivated by her playful antics.”

In the aftermath of Karen’s death, the Topeka Zoo said they have conducted a “thorough investigation” and is taking appropriate actions regarding the team member involved.

The zoo also confirmed that they will be reviewing and enhancing its protocols to further strengthen the safety measures in place for all its animal residents.

"We are devastated by the loss of Karen," expressed Fawn Moser, interim director of the Topeka Zoo. "She was not just an animal; she was a beloved member of our community. Our thoughts are with our dedicated animal care team, who formed deep bonds with Karen during her time with us."

Said the zoo: “The Topeka Zoo extends its deepest gratitude to the community for their outpouring of support during this difficult time.”

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(NEW YORK) -- Columbia University has been thrust into turmoil in the last week, reeling from a congressional hearing on antisemitism with President Nemat Shafik and NYPD’s arrest of more than 100 protesters in support of Palestinians on the university’s lawn.

Now, Columbia University’s classes are being held remotely due to the ongoing protests citing safety concerns and increased security on campus.

Here’s a timeline of the events as they continue to unfold:

Protests begin

On the morning of April 17, student protesters opposed to Israel's war in Gaza have camped out throughout the Columbia University campus.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest, which states that it’s a coalition of more than 100 student groups, says it is calling for the university to financially divest from companies and institutions that “profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine,” according to an online statement.

In March, the Columbia College Student Council approved a student referendum on the issue, according to the Columbia Daily Spectator.

“As a diverse group united by love and justice, we demand our voices be heard against the mass slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza,” the group stated.

Tensions have been high on college campuses nationwide since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel. The Israeli military then began its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

In the Gaza Strip, at least 33,000 people have been killed and more than 76,000 others have been wounded by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.

In Israel, at least 1,200 people have been killed and 6,900 others have been injured by Hamas and other Palestinian militants since Oct. 7, according to Israeli officials.

Multiple United Nations organizations have warned that Gaza is also experiencing "catastrophic" levels of hunger amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Protesters camping on the university lawn say they believe the war in Gaza amounts to “genocide” of Palestinians.

“I’m here continuing the Jewish tradition of standing against oppression and injustice, especially as we approach Passover, a holiday that celebrates our own liberation and commits us to fighting for everyone else’s,” the Jewish Voices for Peace at Columbia said in an online statement.

The congressional testimony

On the same day as the protests, Columbia President Shafik testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which has been investigating antisemitism on college campuses. The hearing comes after two of Shafik's counterparts at other elite colleges resigned amid a backlash over their responses at a previous hearing of the same panel.

In her opening statement, Shafik, who was appointed president of the Ivy League school in July 2023, told the committee that Columbia "strives to be a community free of discrimination and hate in all forms and we condemn the antisemitism that is so pervasive today."

She said a "major challenge" has been reconciling free speech with the rights of Jewish students to go to school in an environment free of discrimination and harassment.

"Regrettably, the events of Oct. 7 brought to the fore an undercurrent of antisemitism that is a major challenge and, like many other universities, Columbia has seen a rise in antisemitic incidents," Shafik said.

Shafik said she has taken actions since Oct. 7, including enhancing Columbia's reporting channels, hiring staff to investigate complaints and forming an antisemitism task force.

Concerns from other student groups

Some other groups on Columbia’s campus, including Students Supporting Israel, say their needs for safety are not being met on campus.

The group described instances they say some Jewish, Israeli and Zionist students have faced, including intimidation and verbal attacks, saying the situation has become “untenable.”

“Students’ rights to peacefully attend their university courses without fear of being accosted or assaulted on their way to class were denied,” an online statement read.

An Arab-Israeli activist, Yoseph Haddad, was set to speak at the student group’s event on April 18 when he was allegedly punched by a protester just outside the campus. The event was canceled, the group said.

“It’s time we end this narrative and aim for a future where both Israelis and our Palestinian neighbors can accept each others’ fundamental right to live freely and without terrorism or war,” the group stated.

Student protesters have released a statement saying that “inflammatory individuals who do not represent us” have distracted from the group’s intentions.

“At universities across the nation, our movement is united in valuing every human life,” the statement from Columbia University Apartheid Divest continued.

The statement from Columbia University Apartheid Divest added that students have been misidentified, doxxed, arrested, locked out of campus housing and more, amid the protests.

“We have knowingly put ourselves in danger because we can no longer be complicit in Columbia funneling our tuition dollars and grant funding into companies that profit from death.”

Several university and local leaders have spoken out against instances of antisemitism amid the unrest.

"I have instructed the NYPD to investigate any violation of law that is reported," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. "Rest assured, the NYPD will not hesitate to arrest anyone who is found to be breaking the law."

Arrests begin at Columbia

On April 18, one day after Shafik’s testimony, more than 100 protesters at Columbia University were arrested and an on-campus tent encampment was removed after the school's president gave the New York Police Department the green light to clear the protesters, officials said.

"Students have the right to free speech but do not have the right to violate university policies and disrupt learning on campus," Adams told reporters during a press briefing that evening.

Around 1:30 p.m. ET, police moved in and arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters, placing their hands in zip ties and escorting them to buses. Other protesters chanted "Shame!" and "Let them go."

Some 108 people were arrested for trespass without incident, officials said. Among those, two were also arrested for obstruction of governmental administration, officials said.

Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was among those arrested for trespass and will be getting a summons, officials said. Hirsi said she was among several students suspended from Columbia's Barnard College for participating in pro-Palestinian protests.

The terms of her suspension are unclear.

The tent encampment and protests have since resumed on campus in an ongoing, dayslong effort.

ABC News has reached out to Columbia University for comment.

Columbia cracks down

Columbia University announced Monday that all classes on Monday, April 22, would be held remotely and only essential personnel should report to work in person. She said campus tensions have been "exploited and amplified" by people unaffiliated with the university "who have come to campus to pursue their own agendas."

"The decibel of our disagreements has only increased in recent days," said Shafik. She said a group of administrators and faculty members will come together to come to a "resolution" on campus issues and also speak with student protesters. "We need a reset."

A university public safety announcement on April 21 also outlined new resources to address "considerable disruption and distress" caused by ongoing gatherings at the campus, located in Manhattan's Morningside Heights neighborhood.

The measures include increasing security patrol with 111 additional personnel -- including more personnel for campus escort services and campus access point security -- as well as improved ID checks at entry points and increased security at The Kraft Center, which houses aspects of Jewish life on campus, during the Passover holiday which begins on April 22.

NYPD told ABC News on Monday that there are no credible threats to any particular group or individual as a result of the protests at Columbia University.

The NYPD is working with the university to provide "safe corridors" for students -- locations where officers will be stationed off-campus.

The department says it has not received any reports of physical harm toward any students.

Hochul comes to Columbia

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she met with the Columbia University president and NYPD officials early Monday morning to discuss public safety initiatives as student protests and unrest continue to play out on campus.

"Students are scared, they're afraid to walk on campus, they don't deserve that," Hochul said in a video message posted to social media.

"I'm calling on everyone. People need to find their humanity, have the conversations, talk to each other, understand the different points of view. Because that's what college students should be doing," Hochul added.

ABC News' Bill Hutchinson, Meredith Deliso and Ahmad Hemingway contributed to the report.

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