Former US President Donald Trump has been found guilty on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, becoming the first former or sitting president to ever be convicted on criminal charges. The verdict was announced on Thursday, May 30, 2024, and it remains uncertain if Trump will be sentenced to prison.
Trump appeared “glum” after the jury read its verdict, according to The New York Times. CNN reported that jurors looked at the judge or at the ground as the foreperson read the verdict, not making eye contact with the former president.
The trial, which took place in New York, centered around allegations of hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump was accused of making these payments to silence Daniels about an alleged affair between the two. The jury found Trump guilty on every felony count he was charged with.
While the jury decided the verdict, Judge Juan Merchan will ultimately determine what sentence Trump faces. A hearing is scheduled to take place on July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention begins. It’s certain that Trump will appeal the ruling, potentially holding up whatever punishment he receives.
Each of the 34 counts Trump was convicted on is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 per offense and/or up to four years in prison. This means that in theory, Trump faces up to $170,000 in fines and 136 years in prison if he were given the maximum sentence. However, legal experts believe it’s highly unlikely that he’ll be sentenced to prison as a first-time offender.
Trump called the ruling a “disgrace” in comments to reporters after the verdict, decrying the trial as “rigged” and insisting he’s a “very innocent man.” He returned to Trump Tower, where he waved to a crowd of supporters and protesters.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg largely avoided answering questions about what Trump’s sentencing may look like during a press conference, telling reporters he will “let our words in court speak for themselves when we get to the sentencing matter.”
This verdict has significant implications for Trump’s future in politics, and it will be interesting to see how this unfolds in the coming weeks and months.
