Jurors in Donald Trump’s hush money trial begin deliberating Wednesday on whether to deliver the first criminal conviction of a former president—a momentous decision that could upend the November presidential election.
After weeks of testimony from more than 20 witnesses, the piercing glare of the legal spotlight now shifts firmly to the anonymous 12-member panel that holds Trump’s fate in its hands.
Following final instructions from the judge, the jury will retire to consider a verdict that—whichever way it goes—will have an outsized impact on Trump and the country as a whole.
Trump is accused of falsifying business records to reimburse a $130,000 payment intended to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels, whose account of an alleged sexual encounter threatened his 2016 presidential campaign.
If Trump is found guilty, the political repercussions would far outweigh the seriousness of the charges. With barely five months before the presidential election, the candidate would also become a convicted criminal.
In a full day of closing arguments on Tuesday, his defense team insisted the evidence for a conviction simply did not exist, while the prosecution countered that it was voluminous and inescapable.
“The defendant’s intent to defraud could not be any clearer,” said prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, urging the jurors to use their “common sense” and return a guilty verdict.
To reach a verdict, the jury must be unanimous—one holdout would result in a mistrial.
If convicted, Trump could face up to four years in prison for each of the 34 counts. However, legal experts believe that as a first-time offender, he is unlikely to receive jail time.
A conviction would not prevent him from appearing on the November ballot.
In its concluding remarks to the jury, the defense characterized star prosecution witness Michael Cohen as a convicted liar driven by “outright hatred for Trump.”
“There was no intent to defraud, and beyond that, there was no conspiracy to influence the 2016 election,” said Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass countered, stating that there was a mountain of corroborating evidence in addition to Cohen’s testimony.
Speaking to reporters before entering the Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday, Trump called it a “very dangerous day for America.”
Trump chose not to testify in his defense. Instead, he used his trips to court to claim that the trial is a Democratic ploy to keep him off the campaign trail.
Polls show Trump neck and neck with President Joe Biden, and the verdict is likely to inflame passions as the White House race intensifies.
In addition to the New York case, Trump has been indicted in Washington and Georgia on charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
He also faces charges in Florida for hoarding large quantities of classified documents after leaving the White House.
The New York case is the only one likely to come to trial by Election Day.
