Trial of Trump's hush money case: Jury wraps up first day of discussions without reaching a decision
The judge, Merchan, instructed the jury members to disregard their personal opinions about the defendant, who is a former president. Afterwards, the jury left the courtroom to deliberate on their verdict in a separate room. They requested to review the testimonies of two witnesses once more and wanted to hear the judge's instructions on interpreting the law again.
During the trial, the prosecution had alleged that the defendant had the intention to commit fraud, and demanded a guilty verdict. Conversely, the defendant's attorney, Todd Blanche, demanded an acquittal due to a lack of evidence.
The jurors' deliberations are not restricted by a time limit, and they must reach a unanimous decision. If they can't agree, the case would fail. If a guilty verdict is rendered, the judge will later decide on the sentence. Although a jail sentence is possible, experts predict that a probation or fine for the defendant is more likely.
Judge Merchan instructed the defendant to remain in the Manhattan courtroom during the jury's discussions on Wednesday. After leaving the courtroom, the defendant spoke to waiting journalists, calling the situation "very shameful". He denied the accusations, claiming that the indictment was "manipulated". In his online platform, Truth Social, he labelled the judge as "corrupt".
The defendant is accused of forging business documents to conceal a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, a former adult film star. Stormy Daniels was supposedly paid to keep quiet about an alleged affair with the defendant, who denies it. The $130,000 payment (approximately €120,000 at the current exchange rate) was transferred by the defendant's former lawyer, Michael Cohen. Cohen testified as a key witness in the case that the payment was made with the defendant's approval. The money was later repaid by the Trump Organization, according to the indictment, and was reported as legal fees.
The defendant is charged with forging business documents in 34 cases. The prosecution also views the hush money payment as an illegal interference in the 2016 presidential election. The defendant sees the trial as a political maneuver to disrupt his presidential campaign against President Joe Biden.
If convicted, the defendant is likely to file an immediate appeal. A conviction would not pose an obstacle to his presidential campaign - not even if it involved a prison sentence. According to the US Constitution, a prisoner can still run for president and exercise the office in prison. If the case fails or results in an acquittal, the defendant would surely hail it as a major triumph.
The defendant is currently indicted in three other cases. Two of them revolve around his extensive efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss against Biden, and the third case concerns his taking of classified government documents to his private residence in Florida. The dates for the beginning of the proceedings in these cases are undetermined.
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