Former Donald Trump lawyer Tim Parlatore sounded the alarm on CNN Wednesday that his old boss’ plan to take the stand in his own defense, as he reportedly wants to do in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case, would be a disaster for him.
“Personally, I do not like of any clients taking the stand in a criminal case,” Parlatore told anchor Jake Tapper. “It’s not something they’re required to do. And I have not generally had any clients take the stand unless they first undergo a very rigorous cross-examination by me, and pass.
“And more times than not, when they’re going through that process, they say, all right Tim, stop, time out, I don’t believe myself, I’m not testifying. So, I can’t see it being a good idea here.”
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“I can’t help but think about the last time that he kind of testified in his own defense,” said Tapper. “It was when he was deposed in the E. Jean Carroll civil case, and it was a videotaped deposition and one woman, he confused the woman suing him with his second wife Marla Maples, and then there was this moment when he was asked about the quote about grabbing women by their genitals.”
“If you look over the last million years, I guess that is been largely true,” said Trump in the taped deposition. “Not always. But largely true. Unfortunately or fortunately.”
Tapper responded, “I mean, it seems like putting him on the stand would be risky?”
“It is,” agreed Parlatore. “And that is kind of an illustration of why it is an uncontrolled environment. You don’t know necessarily what the client is going to say. Even a very well-practiced client could say things that they would regret after the fact. So, you try to — you try to remember a trial is a presentation for the jury, where you’re going to try and control it as much as you can, and that is an uncontrollable risk.”
Watch the video below or at the link here.
Tim Parlatore says Trump taking the stand would be “uncontrollable”
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