AFTER nearly 10 hours of jury deliberation in the hush money trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, a verdict was finally reached finding Trump guilty.
“The defendant, Donald J. Trump is guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree to conceal a scheme to corrupt the 2016 election,” Atty. Alvin Bragg, District Attorney, Manhattan said.
This historic decision was made past 4 in the afternoon local time on Thursday, May 30th.
It can be remembered that the 12-member jury ended the first day of deliberations on Wednesday, however, it failed to reach a verdict in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s hush money trial.
Trump reiterated that he is not guilty and accused the cases as being “rigged”, including the trial itself.
Trump stressed that the real verdict will be known on the 5th of November when the 2024 U.S. Presidential election will take place.
“I’m a very innocent man. I’m fighting for our country. I’m fighting for our Constitution… I think it’s just a disgrace. And we’ll keep fighting, we’ll fight till the end and we’ll win because our country has gone to hell. The real verdict is going to be [on] November 5 by the American people,” Donald Trump, Former President, United States stated.
Ahead of the final verdict in Trump’s hush money trial, his supporters and opponents clashed in New York City on Thursday.
Footage shows both sides exchanging insults as police officers are seen trying to separate and control the different groups.
Meanwhile, a protester in support of Trump predicts that the former president could be acquitted of his charges.
“I’m predicting an acquittal. You know, I’m kind of happy that there’s a couple of lawyers on the jury because again, this is a travesty of the judicial system. You know, we’re supposed to respect the judges, you know, DAs, prosecutors, lawyers, but this is such a travesty. It’s a humiliation of the law. And I’m hoping that these two lawyers at least on that jury, see the repercussions of what’s going to happen if they don’t acquit him,” according to Michael, Pro-Trump Protester.
Meanwhile, for an anti-Trump protester…
“I’m really happy, I’m really glad that the jury came back with that verdict because they had to go through the evidence and make a very serious determination where I could off the top of my head – oh, that guy’s guilty, but they had to sit through the trial. And now, it’s up to the judge to determine what the proper punishment for these crimes is. And, I believe it in his hands, he’s a good judge, he’s very fair. And, I’m just happy that Trump was held accountable finally.”
Meanwhile, Trump is expected to appeal against the verdict to New York’s higher courts, however, this could take a few months.
Trump is currently the frontrunner in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The formal confirmation of him becoming the GOP’s presidential nominee is scheduled in the month of July.
To note, the guilty verdict issued against Trump will not prevent him from taking office should he win the 2024 U.S. presidential race as there is no law in America that prohibits a convicted criminal from becoming the country’s leader.
