Historic conviction: Donald Trump found guilty on all charges in Manhattan Trial

In a groundbreaking verdict on 25 May 2024, a Manhattan jury convicted former President Donald Trump of 34 charges of falsifying business records, marking him as the first former president in American history to be found guilty of a felony.

This verdict is also unprecedented as Trump is currently a presidential candidate, making him the first major-party nominee convicted during a White House campaign.

The jurors, after nearly 12 hours of deliberation over two days, reached their decision in what has been described as the hush money trial. This historic event does not legally preclude Trump from running or potentially winning the presidency again in the upcoming November elections.

Following the verdict, Trump vehemently criticized the trial's legitimacy.

"This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be November 5, by the people, and they know what happened here and everybody knows what happened here," he declared outside the courthouse.

Trump maintained his innocence, asserting, "We didn’t do anything wrong. I’m a very innocent man," and vowed to continue his fight.

https://www.twitter.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1796299188592107830/video/1

The case was initiated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who charged Trump last year with falsifying the repayment to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen.

This was to conceal a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, allegedly to prevent her from disclosing an affair with Trump prior to the 2016 election—a claim Trump denies.

During a press briefing, Bragg highlighted the uniqueness of the case but stressed that the verdict was reached "by following the facts and the law and doing so without fear or favor."

He added, "The 12 everyday jurors vowed to make a decision based on the evidence and the law alone. Their deliberations led them to a unanimous conclusion beyond a reasonable doubt."

Throughout the seven-week trial, the prosecution called 20 witnesses, emphasizing how the hush-money payment was part of a pattern to suppress negative stories prior to the 2016 election.

Cohen testified that Trump directed the payment to Daniels and approved the scheme to reimburse him in $35,000 monthly installments in 2017.

Following the guilty verdict, President Joe Biden took to X, formerly Twitter, to express his view, saying, "There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box."

https://www.twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1796292494151573855

His campaign described the verdict as proof that "no one is above the law," emphasizing the potential risks of a second Trump term.

Trump’s camp responded by framing the conviction as part of a "political Witch Hunt," a sentiment echoed by his supporters, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who labeled the day "a shameful day in American history."

Judge Juan Merchan has scheduled Trump’s sentencing for 11 July 2024, just before the Republican National Convention, signaling more intense political battles ahead.