Jury deliberates over Trump trial verdict

Legal satisfaction is at hand as a judge renders a verdict. - Jury deliberates over Trump trial verdict

For the first time in history, a former U.S. president is standing trial. The jury in the case against Donald Trump has now left the courtroom to deliberate on their verdict. The trial, which has captivated many, took place in New York with Judge Juan Merchan presiding.

After giving the jurors their final instructions, they were sent out of the room. The jurors must now decide whether Trump is guilty or not, unanimously. It typically takes anywhere from a few hours to several days for these deliberations to continue.

If found guilty, Judge Merchan will decide on the sentence at a later date. Trump faces a potential multi-year prison sentence, which could also be suspended, or pay a fine. The 77-year-old Republican has pleaded not guilty and may still run in the November elections, even if found guilty. If the jurors fail to reach a decision after a prolonged period, the entire process would need to start again with a new jury.

The trial began over two months ago and saw more than 20 witnesses testify. The prosecution accuses Trump of illegally interfering with the 2016 presidential election by paying $130,000 in hush money to porn actress Stormy Daniels during the campaign. Despite the payment itself being legal, it is alleged that Trump manipulated documents to disguise the purpose of the transaction when reimbursing his former attorney, Michael Cohen. This, prosecutors argue, led to Trump being charged with illegal campaign financing in 34 instances.

The verdict could impact the current election campaign. Trump is trying to use the accusations as a personal advantage, portraying himself as a victim of political persecution. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden, who is seeking re-election in November, has not benefited much from the proceedings against his opponent. Media pundits wonder if the deeply divided U.S. society and the divisive character of Trump make it likely that the jurors will not be able to agree on a verdict.

"A conspiracy that could decide the presidential election"

Before the trial concluded, both prosecution and defense had their final chance to impact the jurors' decision. Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said: "This conspiracy could have determined the outcome of the 2016 presidential election." He pointed to an alleged plan between Trump, his attorney Cohen, and the publisher of a tabloid magazine to stop negative coverage of Trump from being published prior to the election. This ultimately led to the payment to Daniels.

Defending Trump, attorney Todd Blanche maintained his client's innocence. In his closing argument, he stated: "My client has not committed any crime and the prosecution has not successfully proven their accusations." He again challenged the credibility of Cohen, calling him "the biggest liar of all time."

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1. The election campaign for the November elections may be impacted by the ongoing criminal proceedings against Donald Trump in New York.
2. Stormy Daniels, a porn actress, is at the center of allegations of illegal campaign financing during the 2016 presidential election by former President Donald Trump.
3. Michelle Cohen, Trump's former attorney, was involved in the hush money payment to Daniels, which led to the criminal charges against Trump.
4. The People of the United States are closely following the Justice system process as it pertains to the charges against Trump.
5. If convicted, the 77-year-old Republican could face a multi-year prison sentence or pay a fine, but he has maintained his innocence.
6. The public prosecutor's office in New York is handling the case against Trump, with Judge Juan Merchan presiding over the trial.
7. The jurors have retired to deliberate after receiving their final instructions from Judge Merchan, and they must decide whether Trump is guilty or not unanimously.
8. The length of the deliberations can vary, and if the jurors fail to reach a decision, the entire process would need to start again with a new jury.
9. Juan Merchan, a Federal judge in the Southern District of New York, will decide on the sentence if Trump is found guilty in the case involving hush money payments to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

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