Just five months before the election in which Donald Trump hopes to reclaim the White House, a New York jury found him guilty on all counts in his hush-money case on Thursday. This is a dramatic development.
The 77-year-old Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment intended to silence porn star Stormy Daniels, capping the first criminal trial of a former US president.
At first, Trump, who was freed without posting bail and will almost certainly file an appeal, just sat motionless with his shoulders lowered in the dull Manhattan courtroom.
Minutes later, however, he stood outside to speak with reporters and called the outcome a “disgrace” and “rigged,” promising that voters would determine the “true verdict” in the presidential vote on November 5.
In a statement, Biden’s campaign claimed that the trial demonstrated that “no one is above the law.” It further stated that “the threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater.”
The 12-person jury deliberated for over 11 hours over two days, and in a matter of minutes, they announced their unanimous verdict. Merchan thanked the jury for finishing the “difficult and stressful task.”
Their identities had remained a secret throughout the legal process, an uncommon practice that is more common in cases involving violent defendants or members of the mafia.
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