Jury declares Trump culpable on each count
In the trial for hush money payments in New York, the jury has reached a unanimous decision: The former president is found guilty. The punishment for the Republican is yet to be decided.
During the trial for covering up hush money payments to a porn star, the jurors have concluded that the ex-US President Donald Trump is guilty in all 34 charges of the indictment. This marks the first time in US history an ex-president has been found guilty of a crime. Initially calm in the courtroom, Trump quietly received the verdict with his eyes closed.
The sentence will be revealed on July 11th. Trump could face up to four years in prison, but experts believe this is unlikely. The prison time could also be suspended, and he might avoid a fine. Trump has the right to appeal. Even with a legally binding conviction, he can still run for president in November.
Trump: Verdict a "Shame"
Trump spoke to the media, proclaiming the verdict a "Shame." The judge was biased, he was innocent. The "real verdict" would fall during the US presidential election in November. The "entire nation" was being manipulated at the moment. The Biden administration was to blame for aiming to "hurt" or "damage" a political opponent.
The prosecution accused Trump of trying to boost his chances of winning the 2016 presidential election by paying $130,000 in hush money to the adult film actress Stormy Daniels and recording the payment as legal fees illegally. The seven men and five women of the jury had listened to over 20 witnesses' testimonies since mid-April - the jury's deliberations had been ongoing since Wednesday.
Although the payment itself was not illegal, Trump is believed to have tampered with documents when reimbursing the payment to his former personal attorney Michael Cohen to hide the transaction's true objective. This reportedly led to his indictment for illegal campaign funding in 34 counts. Trump's attorneys had argued that it was about usual attorney fees.
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In response to the guilty verdict, Donald Trump has expressed his displeasure, claiming the process was biased and the judgment unfair. Despite this, Trump has made it clear that he aims to run for president in the upcoming US presidential election in 2024.
The indictment against Donald Trump stemmed from his involvement in alleged attempts to illegally influence the 2016 US presidential election by paying hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels. If found guilty in the upcoming court proceedings related to the US presidential election 2024, Trump could face significant penalties, including prison time and fines.
