New York, USA: A New York jury found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments during the 2016 U.S. election campaign. This marks the first time a former American president has ever been convicted on criminal charges.
The jury reached the verdict on Thursday after less than 12 hours of deliberation, following a historic and closely watched trial in Manhattan.
State prosecutors had accused Trump, who is seeking to return to the White House this fall, of conspiring to suppress media stories about alleged affairs after entering the presidential race. They also accused him of concealing reimbursements to his then-fixer for paying off a porn star to silence her allegations just days before the election.
The verdict is a significant moment for the U.S. political system, as it has never before confronted a convicted felon running for the presidency as the likely nominee of one of the two main parties. Trump faces three other criminal indictments, but it’s unlikely those cases will go to trial before November’s election.
Trump addressed reporters outside the courtroom minutes after the verdict, denouncing the trial as “rigged” and “disgraceful.” He indicated plans to appeal the verdict, asserting that the case was “far from over.”
It remains uncertain whether prosecutors will seek a prison sentence for Trump, or if Judge Juan Merchan would impose such a punishment if requested. Trump faces a maximum sentence of four years behind bars for each charge but could receive a fine or probation instead. Merchan scheduled a sentencing date for July 11.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg expressed gratitude for the jury’s careful consideration of the evidence and the law, emphasizing the importance of following due process in every case.
Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House counsel’s office, provided a brief statement acknowledging respect for the rule of law without further comment.
The case primarily relied on the testimony of Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, who implicated Trump in directing the hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the payments, testified during the trial that Trump reimbursed him for the payments. Trump’s defence argued that the payments were legitimate and that Cohen was an unreliable witness. The trial also featured testimony from other key witnesses, including Stormy Daniels and David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer.
