A New York jury has found former President Donald Trump guilty on felony charges of falsifying business records, marking the first time a former U.S. president has ever been convicted of a crime.
The verdict was read in a Manhattan courtroom where Trump had been on trial since April 15. He had pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made by his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential election.
The jury reached its verdict after 9.5 hours of deliberations, which began on Wednesday.
This historic conviction comes as Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee for the upcoming presidential election. The trial and its outcome are expected to have significant political ramifications, potentially affecting his campaign and his support base. This landmark case highlights the unprecedented legal and political challenges facing Trump and it remains to be seen just how long he will spend time in prison, as it is likely he will be there for the rest of his life.
