NEW YORK: A New York jury found former US President Donald Trump guilty of forging documents to cover up a payment made to silence porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. This makes Trump the first US president to be convicted of a crime.
The 12-member jury reached its decision after two days of deliberations, convicting Trump on one of the 34 counts he faces. A conviction on any of these counts could lead to a sentence of up to four years in jail, although legal experts suggest that as a first-time offender, Trump is unlikely to serve jail time.
The verdict comes as Trump, the Republican candidate, prepares to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential election. Despite the conviction, Trump, 77, denies any wrongdoing and is expected to appeal the jury’s decision. Notably, imprisonment would not prevent Trump from campaigning or taking office if he wins.
Opinion polls indicate a tight race between Trump and Biden, and the guilty verdict could potentially affect Trump’s support among independent and Republican voters. The trial, which lasted nearly five weeks, included testimony from over 20 witnesses. Trump chose not to testify, avoiding the risks of cross-examination.
However, Trump found it challenging to remain passive during Daniels’ graphic testimony about their alleged encounter. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, testified that Trump agreed to a $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 election. Cohen, who managed the payment, claimed Trump approved a plan to reimburse him through monthly payments disguised as legal fees. Trump’s lawyers questioned Cohen’s credibility due to his criminal record, imprisonment, and history of lying.
Trump has consistently argued that he cannot receive a fair trial in his Democratic hometown. Experts suggest that if elected, Trump could potentially dismiss the two federal cases accusing him of illegally attempting to overturn the 2020 election results and mishandling classified documents after leaving office in 2021. However, he would not have the authority to stop a separate election-subversion case in Georgia.
Trump has pleaded not guilty in all cases, asserting that his legal challenges are a politically motivated effort by Biden’s allies to undermine him.
