Welcome to the beat, I'm Ari Melber and we have a packed show tonight, a veteran advisor to the DA's star witness, Michael Cohen is here. You know the name. Lanny Davis joins us later tonight as we track what could become a verdict that would

hinge more than anything else on Michael Cohen's testimony and by the end of the hour

Al Sharpton is here for a cultural moment unlike anything we've ever tried on the

beat before you see him there with James Brown well the Rev is here and he will be

joined by an artist making his beat debut tonight, Harry Mac.

So that's all coming up.

But our top story shows why a verdict is on the way in Trump's criminal trial.

His defense lawyers

they've completed their mission without ever having to call

defended Trump to testify as is their right to call or not call.

So they finished after less than two days in control.

Trump's lawyers called just two witnesses So they finished after less than two days in control.

Trump's lawyers called just two witnesses compared to the 19 witnesses the DA called,

some of whom you can see right here, the Star Witness Cohen,

former Trump aides like Cove Hicks Hicks other key players like Stormy Daniels and the tabloid chief and an array

of many different important people now legally you're looking at the typical

mismatch. The DA the prosecution calls more witnesses, they lodge more

evidence because they have the burden of proof. Now whether Trump's

defense lawyers got enough doubt going through their cross-examination

and through those two witnesses you see there is an open question right now.

Especially as Trump's defense found that its final longest witness, the one who spent more time on the stand than the other witness,

Giuliani ally Robert Costello, frequently caused Trump more than he helped.

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