30th May, 2024
Former U.S. President Donald Trump was on Friday convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in his historic criminal trial in New York.
It is the first time a former or serving US president has been convicted of a crime.
Trump will be sentenced on 11 July – the ex-president could face prison, but legal experts say a fine is the more likely outcome, the BBC reports.
Todd Blanche, Trump’s lead lawyer, had told Justice Merchan there is “no reason that the court should allow the verdict” because of Michael Cohen’s testimony.
He said “perjury was committed” – claiming Cohen lied on the stand.
Justice Merchan then denied their motion to move for an acquittal of charges.
Reacting to the judgement, Trump said he would “keep fighting until the end,” while lashing out at the court process, claiming he was unfairly treated.
The former president called the jury’s decision a “disgrace” and said the “real verdict” would come during the presidential election on November 5.
According to the CNN, prosecutors had accused Trump of taking part in an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election and an unlawful plan to suppress negative information, which included concealing a hush money payment to an adult film star.
A felony conviction of a former president or party frontrunner is unprecedented, but Trump can still run for office.