Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen exits prison early over coronavirus fears

Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen exits prison early over coronavirus fears

Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, returned to his New York home on Thursday after being released early from a federal prison due to concerns he could be exposed to the novel coronavirus there.

Colette Luke has more.

President Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen returned to his New York apartment on Thursday wearing a mask to finish out his prison sentence at home after being released early due to concerns he could have been exposed to the novel coronavirus at a federal prison.

Cohen had completed a bit more than a year of a three-year sentence for his role in paying hush money to two women - pornographic film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal - who said they had sexual relationships with Trump, as well as financial crimes and lying to Congress.

Trump and his aides have denied that the Republican president had relationships with either woman.

Cohen's lawyer in March said the federal Bureau of Prisons has been (quote) "demonstrably incapable of safeguarding and treating BOP inmates who are obliged to live in close quarters and are at an enhanced risk of catching coronavirus." Last month U.S. Attorney General William Barr said the bureau was facing emergency conditions due to the fast-spreading pathogen, paving the way for the release of certain inmates into home confinement.

Last week Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort also was released from a federal prison in Pennsylvania- over coronavirus concerns-- to finish his sentence at home.