NEW YORK (Diya TV) — A Manhattan jury found Former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records, marking the first criminal conviction of a former U.S. president. The verdict came on Thursday morning after nearly two days of deliberations.
Deliberations began late Wednesday morning after New York State Judge Juan Merchan provided detailed instructions to the 12-person jury. Despite their requests for specific testimonies from former Trump attorney Michael Cohen and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, along with a repeat of Merchan’s instructions, the jury reached a unanimous decision on Thursday.
The guilty verdict concludes one of the most high-profile trials in recent memory and carries significant implications for the upcoming presidential election. Trump, who has maintained his innocence and is a presumptive GOP candidate for the 2024 election, now faces the legal consequences of this landmark decision.
During the trial, the prosecution argued that Trump falsified business records to conceal reimbursements to Cohen for a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The payment, made during the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign, was intended to silence Daniels about an alleged affair with Trump, which he has denied. Prosecutors successfully convinced the jury that these reimbursements were falsely listed as legal expenses in company records.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass’s closing arguments urged the jury to hold Trump accountable, emphasizing the prosecution’s duty to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Judge Merchan instructed the jury to remain impartial and reminded them that Trump was not required to prove his innocence.
Throughout the trial, Trump displayed a composed demeanor, though he occasionally appeared restless. He took to social media to criticize the trial proceedings and Judge Merchan, labeling the trial a “witch hunt” and expressing frustration over the imposed gag order.
The jury’s decision hinged on whether they believed Trump intentionally falsified records to influence the 2016 election. Their guilty verdict signifies they agreed with the prosecution’s case that Trump engaged in unlawful acts, including breaking campaign finance laws, falsifying federal tax forms, and submitting false information on a tax return.
The verdict has drawn nationwide attention, given Trump’s status as a former president and potential 2024 candidate. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office pursued the case, stated justice has been served.
The former President released a statement shortly after he made remarks outside of the courtroom where his verdict was read, stating “this was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt. It’s a rigged trial, a disgrace. They wouldn’t give us a venue change. We were at 5% or 6% in this district, in this area. This was a rigged, disgraceful trial.
President Biden’s campaign also chimed in after the verdict, saying in a statement “In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law.”
