Jurors must weigh Trump’s willfulness in hush money trial: Defense attorneys

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NEW YORK — Attorneys in Donald Trump’s hush money trial argued Tuesday over what instructions a judge will give the jury tasked with deciding the former president’s fate, and defense attorneys repeatedly emphasized that the instructions must say Trump had to have acted willfully to be convicted.

Trump attorney Emil Bove’s requests had a common theme during the high-stakes hearing on jury instructions. Bove wanted Judge Juan Merchan to strengthen Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s burden of proof that Trump falsified business records at a felony level.

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