Donald Trump Found Guilty of Felony Charges in Unprecedented Verdict
This article covers the historic criminal conviction of former President Donald Trump and the details surrounding the case.
A Manhattan jury has rendered a stunning verdict, finding Donald Trump guilty of all 34 charges of falsifying business records. This verdict is unprecedented in American history, as Trump becomes the first former president to be convicted of a felony. Additionally, he is the first major-party presidential nominee to be convicted of a crime while campaigning for the White House. Even more extraordinary, if Trump were to win the presidency, he would make history as the first sitting president to be a convicted felon.
The verdict, delivered in the hush money trial, came after nearly 12 hours of deliberation over two days. Despite the conviction, voters will ultimately determine the significance of this ruling in the upcoming November elections. Legally, the guilty verdict does not disqualify Trump from running for president again.
Key Points:
- Donald Trump found guilty on all 34 charges of falsifying business records.
- First former president in American history to be convicted of a felony.
- Unprecedented situation of a major-party presidential nominee being convicted of a crime during a campaign.
- If elected, Trump would be the first sitting president to be a convicted felon.
In the trial, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused Trump of falsifying records to cover up a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels by his former lawyer Michael Cohen. The payment was allegedly meant to prevent Daniels from revealing details of an alleged affair with Trump prior to the 2016 election. Throughout the trial, witnesses detailed how this payment was part of a larger pattern of suppressing negative stories about Trump during the election.
The prosecution's key witness, Michael Cohen, testified that Trump instructed him to make the payment to Daniels and then approved a repayment scheme in monthly installments. Trump's sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2024, just before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
The guilty verdict and the subsequent sentencing will have significant implications on Trump's political future and the broader legal landscape. Despite the conviction, he remains eligible to run for president, leaving voters to weigh the verdict's impact come election time.