New York: Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday became the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. A New York jury found Trump guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment made to silence a porn star before the 2016 election.
After two days of deliberation, the 12-member jury unanimously convicted Trump on all 34 felony counts. The charges stem from allegations that he falsified business records to hide a $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, a porn star who claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and maintains that he never had a sexual relationship with Daniels.
Judge Juan Merchan scheduled Trump’s sentencing for July 11, just days before the Republican Party is set to nominate him for the 2024 presidential election. The crime of falsifying business documents carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, though actual sentences often include fines or probation.
Reacting to the verdict, Trump proclaimed his innocence and reiterated his belief that the trial was rigged. “This was a disgrace,” he told reporters.
The case, considered the least significant among the four criminal prosecutions Trump faces, gained prominence as it is likely to be the only one resolved before the November 2024 election. Trump and his legal team have announced plans to appeal the verdict as quickly as possible.
Trump’s former fixer, Michael Cohen, testified that he arranged the hush money payment and that Trump approved reimbursing him through disguised monthly payments. The jury’s relatively quick decision suggests they found Cohen’s testimony credible.
The verdict has sparked a wave of violent rhetoric among Trump supporters online, with calls for riots, retribution, and even civil war. Trump has repeatedly claims that his trials are politically motivated to sabotage his presidential bid.
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