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John Edwards' team set to present defense

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    Will former presidential candidate take the stand?

  • Duration 3:17
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Every go to Fox News alert 931 -- Greensboro, North Carolina and there is brand new video of John Edwards arriving for his day in court for the first day of his defense.

It begins in moments at issue secret payments totaling more than.

700000.

Dollars that prosecutors allege was used to cover up Edwards affair with real hunter.

The defense now getting its chance to refute those charges and Jonathan Serrie back at his posted.

-- -- -- big question all this is whether or not at the moment John Edwards is get a take the take the stand in his own defense.

What would you -- -- about that this morning Jonathan.

Hey you know really depends on which legal expert you're talking to they go back and forth whether it's -- knew we'd be advisable.

For the defense to call on their own client to testify.

But one former federal prosecutor says he believes that Edwards will.

At some point during the defense testimony.

Take the stand in addressed the jury using her as persuasive skills as both a lawyer and a politician -- Given the nature of the charges and the defense and that he didn't.

Believe he was violating campaign finance laws I think only John Edwards can deliver that message.

But -- Shanahan believes it's unlikely we'll see real hunter the mistress -- the prosecution never called on her and her testimony would potentially be.

Even riskier for the defense because she brings up memories of the affair and all the hurt.

That it caused Elizabeth Edwards bill so now we're trying to figure out the defense strategy here they get a to a robust defense of -- a lot of witnesses to be called or not.

You know where they they have an extensive list but that's no guarantee that they're going to be calling all of the witnesses on the list it appears that their strategy is going to be.

Shifting the focus of the trial from the morality of the affair to the legality behind the cover up they're trying to show that John Edwards was largely unaware of all the money that was going into hiding -- under.

And that what ever his involvement was in the cover up that it was motivated by a desire to protect his wife not his campaign.

Now on Friday as the defense tried unsuccessfully to get the judge to drop the case against John Edwards lead defense lawyer Abbe Lowell argued quote.

Mr.

Edwards could have expenses for a baby if he had a campaign or if he didn't have a campaign.

Mr.

Edwards would -- an affair if he was or wasn't a candidate.

And looking at today's defense witness list we have former election commission chairman Scott Thomas we have political pollster.

Harrison Hickman.

A former edwards' lawyer Wade Smith as well as a former campaign finance officer Laura haggard all of them expected to focus more on the light legality.

Of the cover up.

Rather than dwelling on all of the moral issues and all of the hurt.

That the affair caused John edwards' cancer stricken wife Elizabeth don't.

We now move in the face to thank you Jonathon here -- what's on the line mr.

John Edwards if convicted on all six counts against him he could theoretically face at the thirty years in prison.

Attorneys tell us any court would sentence him concurrently which means that -- we get five years Max and some hefty fines as.

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