A New York jury found former United States of American president, Donald Trump, guilty on all charges in his hush money case on Thursday, a significant development occurring just five months before he aims to regain the presidency.
This marks the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president, concluding with the 77-year-old Trump being convicted on each of the 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment intended to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump, who is almost certain to appeal, did not immediately react but sat still with a noticeable dip in his shoulders.
This conviction does not disqualify Trump from running for the presidency again, even if Judge Juan Merchan imposes a prison sentence.
The verdict comes mere weeks ahead of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump is expected to secure the party’s nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden on November 5.
The 12-member jury deliberated for over 11 hours across two days, concluding the remarkable five-week trial held in a stark Manhattan courtroom.
Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records to reimburse his lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election.
Her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump could have been politically damaging at that time.
The trial included extensive testimony from Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, detailing a 2006 sexual encounter with the married Trump.
Prosecutors argued that the hush money and the subsequent cover-up were part of a larger scheme to keep voters uninformed about Trump’s actions.
Trump’s defense team argued that “trying to influence an election” was simply an aspect of “democracy” and maintained that Trump did nothing illegal.
The trial has diverted Trump’s attention from his campaign to challenge Biden.
However, he capitalized on the media attention, making daily statements in front of the cameras outside the courtroom, claiming to be a victim of political persecution.
The identities of the 12 jurors were kept secret, a measure more commonly seen in cases involving organized crime or other dangerous defendants.
After hinting at the possibility for weeks, Trump — who has denied the affair with Daniels at a 2006 celebrity golf tournament — chose not to testify.
Trump, known for his brash real estate ventures before his unexpected rise to the presidency in the 2016 election, now faces potential prison time or, more likely, probation.
Though he could theoretically face up to four years in prison for each count of falsifying business records, legal experts suggest that as a first-time offender, he is unlikely to be incarcerated.
An appeal could extend for months.
Even if he wins the presidency, Trump cannot pardon himself since the case was brought by the state of New York, not the federal government. Only the governor could grant him a pardon.
Trump also faces federal and state charges related to conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results and for retaining classified documents after leaving the White House.
