Donald Trump found guilty of all 34 felony charges
On Thursday, a New York jury found Donald Trump guilty of falsifying paperwork to conceal a payment to silence a porn star ahead of the 2016 election, making him the first US president convicted of a felony.
After two days of deliberation, the 12-member jury declared Trump guilty on all 34 counts, according to Reuters. Any verdict required unanimous agreement.
Justice Juan Merchan set the sentence date for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to formally nominate Trump for president on July 15.
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Merchan praised the jurors for their service. “Nobody can force you to do something you don’t want to do. “The choice is yours,” Merchan stated.
The ruling thrusts the United States into uncharted ground ahead of the November 5 presidential election, as Republican nominee Donald Trump seeks to reclaim the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden.
He faces a maximum punishment of four years in prison, however others convicted of the same conduct frequently receive lesser sentences, fines, or probation. Incarceration would not bar him from running or taking office if he were elected.
He will not be imprisoned ahead of sentencing.
‘I am a very innocent man’: Donald Trump
Trump, 77, has denied wrongdoing and is expected to appeal.
Speaking outside the courtroom, Trump stated, “We did nothing wrong, and I am a very innocent man. We will keep battling. We’ll fight till the end, and we’ll win.”
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“The people will decide the final verdict on November 5. This was a rigged decision from the beginning,” he added.
Opinion surveys show Trump and Biden, 81, in a close race, with Reuters/Ipsos polling indicating that a guilty conviction may cost Trump some support from independent and Republican voters.
According to a person acquainted with the Trump campaign’s inner workings, the verdict is expected to encourage him to step up his search for a female vice presidential running partner.
