- By Aashish Vashistha
- Fri, 31 May 2024 08:12 AM (IST)
- Source:AP
Former United States (US) President Donald Trump on Thursday was found guilty on 34 felony counts in his criminal hush money trial and became the first former US president to be convicted of a felony. Prosecutors accused Trump of falsifying internal business records to conceal hush money payments related to an alleged plan to suppress information that could jeopardize his 2016 White House bid.
The allegations revolved around reimbursements paid to Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen for a USD 130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in exchange for not disclosing her claim about a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, as reported by news agency AP.
According to the prosecutors, the reimbursements were falsely recorded as "legal expenses" to conceal the true nature of the transactions. Jurors convicted the former US president on all 34 counts after deliberating for approximately 9.5 hours. The charges against Trump are punishable by up to four years in prison. However, he has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.
"I'm a very innocent man," Trump told reporters, adding that the "real verdict" would be determined by voters. He described the trial as "rigged" and a "disgrace." Following the verdict, Trump also said that he was a ‘political prisoner’ and added that he would issue a statement to journalists early Friday.
Will Donald Trump Go To Prison?
Notably, the maximum term for falsifying business records is four years in prison, however, it is rare for first-time offenders in New York to face prison time. It is unlikely that Trump would serve a prison term as punishments like fines or probation are more common and alternatives like home confinement or curfews could be considered, due to the logistical challenges of imprisoning a former president with a lifetime Secret Service detail.
Can Trump Still Be President?
The United States Constitution only requires presidents to be at least 35 years old and natural-born US citizens who have lived in the country for 14 years. Trump’s criminal conviction will not affect his eligibility to become president. Even if he were imprisoned, Trump could be inaugurated as president.
