Ex-US president Donald Trump has been convicted on all 34 charges in his secretive payment trial. Trump, the initial president of the United States to transform into a convicted criminal, has been found guilty of 34 charges of tampering with business documentation in connection to a $130,000 payment given to an adult actress, Stormy Daniels, through Trump’s single-term lawyer and handler, Michael Cohen.
After the sentence was declared outside the court building in New York City, Trump commented, “The genuine judgement will come on the 5th of November [election] from the public…We haven’t committed any misdeeds. I am completely blameless. This action by the Biden administration was instigated in an attempt to harm a political adversary. It’s a disgrace and we will continue fighting until we achieve victory. Our nation is deteriorating. This decision was biased from the start, and this matter is far from finished.”
The jury concluded secret discussions on Thursday after going over guidelines and evidences. This conviction will neither hinder Trump from campaigning for the presidency in the forthcoming November elections, nor bar him from assuming office if he triumphs.
Trump’s sentencing will occur on July 11th, a mere four days prior to the Republican National Convention, where it’s anticipated he will clinch the party’s nomination for the presidential election in November.
New York prosecutors accused Trump (Age 77) of meddling with business documentation in an attempt to veil the secretive payment to Stormy Daniels during the last stage of the 2016 presidential elections. Trump maintains his innocence and pleads not guilty to this, denying any wrongdoings.
It appears that the jury deeply analysed testimonies provided by Michael Cohen, Trump’s past handler who carried out the payment of $130,000 to circumvent Ms Daniels from unveiling her supposed 2006 sexual encounter with Mr Trump to the population.
Trump negates any sexual involvement with Ms Daniels. Cohen under oath revealed that he and Trump discussed a blueprint to recompense him through monthly payments masquerading like legal charges— the alleged matters that incited the criminal trials.
On the jury’s request, extracts of Cohen’s testimony were reiterated on Thursday morning. The validity of Cohen’s testimony has been disputed by Trump’s attorneys, referring to Cohen’s criminal track record and history of deceit. Judge Juan Merchan has also advised the jury that it’s essential they critically evaluate his testimony as he was a participant in the crimes he detailed.
According to the prosecution, correspondence and additional proof validate Mr Cohen’s evidence, as stated by the legal representatives. Courtroom attendees were exposed to the recitation of David Pecker’s testimony, a previous mogul of the infamous tabloid, National Enquirer. Pecker disclosed to the jury his collaboration with Trump to subdue damaging stories that could have potentially disrupted the campaign of the entrepreneur turned politician.
Another noteworthy occurrence was Justice Merchan’s repetition of a considerable part of the 55-pages of guidelines initially conveyed to the jurors on Wednesday prior to the onset of their deliberation. The weight of demonstrating Trump’s culpability beyond any reasonable uncertainty, a requirement by US law, fell squarely on the shoulders of Alvin Bragg’s office, the district attorney from Manhattan.
For any verdict to be reached, a full agreement of the jury was mandatory. Public opinion surveys suggest a neck and neck contest involving Trump and Mr Biden. However, findings from Reuters/Ipsos polls imply a guilty verdict might lead to a decrease in the support for Trump.
A total of three more criminal charges await Trump. However, these are not predicted to reach the courtroom before the elections in November. In these proceedings, Trump has professed his innocence. – AP/Reuters