Former president calls verdict ‘a disgrace’ after being convicted in New York on all 34 counts of falsifying business records

Donald Trump has been found guilty of using a criminal hush-money scheme to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.

The verdict came after a jury deliberated for less than twelve hours in the unprecedented first criminal trial against a US president. It marks a perilous political moment for Trump, the presumptive nominee for the Republican nomination, whose poll numbers have remained unchanged throughout the trial but could tank at any moment.

  • TragicNotCute@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    4 months ago

    I’m sure he’ll attend because he’s unlikely to do time anyway.

    Six legal experts - including defense lawyers and former prosecutors - told Reuters it was rare for people without criminal histories - like Trump - who are charged solely with falsification of business records to be sentenced to prison time in New York, with punishments such as fines being more common.

    But they said such a sentence would not be impossible, and cautioned that it was too early to predict what punishment Trump could face if convicted.

    https://www.reuters.com/legal/trumps-false-records-charges-prison-is-rare-not-unprecedented-2024-05-30/

    • davidagain@lemmy.world
      2·
      4 months ago

      Cohen did time as a first time convict for pretty much the same stuff, only less so, but no, I don’t think Trump will do time.

    • ApexHunter
      1·
      4 months ago

      He wasn’t just convinced of falsifying business records – he was convicted of doing so in furtherance of another crime. That upgrades your a class a misdemeanor to a class e felony.

      Also, for perspective, Cohen did serve jail time for his role in this scheme. And one could reasonably argue that Trump shouldn’t receive less punishment than someone following his instructions.