In his widely reported New York hush money trial, former US President Donald Trump was found guilty on all counts.After more than four hours of deliberation, the jury returned a historic judgment, finding Trump guilty on 34 felony charges of falsifying company documents pertaining to the repayment of hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
The main focus of the trial was Trump’s role in a plot to silence Daniels and Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who both claimed to have had extramarital encounters with him. Michael Cohen, the former fixer for President Trump, stated in court that he made the payments at Trump’s request and that the president paid him back with fictitious invoices.
The jury’s verdict marks a significant milestone in the first criminal case against a former American president. Trump faces up to four years in prison for each count, although sentencing guidelines are likely to recommend a much shorter sentence.
The verdict is a major blow to Trump, who has maintained his innocence throughout the trial. His legal team has vowed to appeal the conviction.
The case has sparked widespread debate and discussion about accountability and the rule of law, with many hailing the verdict as a victory for justice and others criticising the prosecution as politically motivated.
Trump’s conviction comes as he faces multiple other legal challenges, including a Georgia election interference case and a federal investigation into his handling of classified documents.
