Stormy Daniels: Ex-porn star face off wit Donald Trump in dramatic court trial - BBC News Pidgin

• Author, By Kayla Epstein & Madeline Halpert
• Role, BBC News

• 8 May 2024

For years, Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump don dey locked in a public battle sake of alleged sexual encounter, one hush-money deal wey di former president fixer bin pay, and dia respective efforts to own evri public narrative.

Dose tensions - and di erotic details wey surround dem - spill out for court on Tuesday 7 May wen Ms Daniels take di stand during Mr Trump criminal trial to face am for court for di first time.

Di former adult-film star, wey wear loose-fitting black clothes and pin her hair back, no look at di former president for most of di day, except wen she note im dark blue suit afta dem ask her to point im out.

She spend much of her time on di stand dey tok about di sexual encounter wey she claim say she bin get wit di defendant - act wey spark di allegations at di heart of di case - and push back at im legal team critical questions.

Mr Trump, meanwhile, just dey curse and shake im head wen Daniels dey tok. Dis bin make di judge warn am, according to court transcripts wey dem publish at di end of di day.

Di former president dey face 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Di charges come from alleged attempt to cova a $130,000 payment to Ms Daniels wey meant to keep her quiet about di purported romantic meeting.

E don plead not guilty and deny any sexual encounter wit her, though e don acknowledge say im ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, pay her some moni to keep quiet about her claims.

As di woman wey receive di moni, Ms Daniels dey expected to appear for court at some point. But her testimony on Tuesday bring di most dramatic day of di trial yet.

She bin provide such lurid details about her encounter wit Mr Trump and e make di former president lawyer to call for a mistrial. Juan Merchan acknowledge say "e get some tins wey go beta not to tok about dem" and warn prosecutors make dem no ask for specifics of such personal nature.

Di details, wey she don previously share, include her claim say dem no use condom, say she spank Mr Trump wit one magazine, and di answers she allegedly elicit from di former president about im wife.

Di trial don already bring up underworld of tabloid publishers and Hollywood lawyers, one of dem dey employed by Ms Daniels to broker di hush payment. Her testimony on Tuesday appear to be step too far for di judge as well as Mr Trump defence team, however.

Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images

Early in di day, Mr Trump lawyers seek to make Justice Merchan limit wetin prosecutors fit ask Ms Daniels about dia alleged sexual encounter for 2006, and di two pipo subsequent meetings.

Di prosecution argue say dem need to ask Ms Daniels about am to establish intent for di pay-out. Despite tighter parameters, Ms Daniels scandalous details still spill out in long answers wey dey unusual.

Dis no be di first time Ms Daniels don share di details of her alleged sexual encounter wit Mr Trump. Since di deal come to light, she don tell her tori on national television, in a self-titled documentary, to America most famous broadcast journalist and inside her book, Full Disclosure.

But dis na di first time she share am while di man she claim to have sex wit sit just a few feet away.

For di morning session, di witness appear nervous as she dey speak fast and dis make both di prosecutor, Susan Hoffinger, and Justice Merchan to ask her to slow down. At times, e also appear say her evidence get away from prosecutor Ms Hoffinger, wey receive strong warning from di judge to beta control her witness.

Di adult-film star keep her eyes on di jury while she dey take di court back to 2006, wen she first encounter Mr Trump wey wear golf attire for one celebrity tournament. Im bin ask her to join am for a meal, she tok.

Ms Daniels tell di court say she initially no wan have dinner wit Mr Trump, but her publicist encourage her, saying, "'Wetin fit possibly go wrong?"' Dis line make some pipo laugh inside di courtroom.

She den describe say she arrive for Mr Trump suite later for dinner, wia she tok say she meet am at di door putting on silk pyjamas.

Ms Daniels tell di court say she later go to di bathroom and afta she come out, she find Mr Trump lying on di bed wearing only boxer shorts and a t-shirt.

Dem have sex, she tok, and maintain say consent dey. Still, she tell di court say di encounter don leave her confused.

Wia dis foto come from, Reuters

Trump defence team object many times

Mr Trump lawyers object multiple times to prosecutors line of questioning bifor dem cross-examine Ms Daniels.

Prosecutors bin don ensure say di guardrails di court bin impose on Ms Daniels testimony bin fly off, attorney Todd Blanche tok. Her details about Mr Trump bin dey "unduly prejudicial" to di point say dem no believe say dem fit dem fit dey fixed during cross examination.

"Dis na di kind of testimony wey make am impossible to come back from," Mr Blanche tok.

While Justice Merchan no grant a mistrial, e largely agree say di "witness bin dey a little difficult to control", and tok say Ms Hoffinger go tok to Ms Daniels about keeping her answers short.

"Di degree of detail wey we dey go into just dey unnecessary," e tok.

Mr Trump lawyer Susan Necheles lead a tough cross-examination wey dey aimed to undermine Ms Daniels motives and recollections. Di two women almost shout at each oda at times.

Di exchanges grow deeply tense, as Ms Necheles bring up Ms Daniels statement about Mr Trump, question her parenting, and imply say she bin fabricate some of her recollections.

"You dey make dis up as you sit dia, right?" Ms Necheles tok.

Afta court, Mr Trump tell reporters say e tink di proceedings bin dey "go well".

Jury members listen to evri word. Na dem go ultimately weigh di merits of Ms Daniels evidence.

E dey hard to tell wetin dose 12 New Yorkers make of di day. Dem remain stoic, and show no emotion as di heated back-and-forth play out bifor dem.

As court adjourn, Justice Merchan issue im usual instruction to di jurors once more: Please remember to keep open mind.