(NewsInsights.org) – After nearly two months of testimony and evidence presentation, the prosecution and defense delivered their final arguments. The jury began deliberations on Wednesday, May 29, in Donald Trump’s New York trial for falsifying business records in the furtherance of another crime and quickly came back on Thursday, May 30th with a verdict — guilty on all 34 counts. Legal experts have been weighing in on the former president’s fate should he lose all along, and speculation will of course continue until sentencing in July.
The jury’s consideration of the case provided three possible outcomes: they were of course expected to convict Trump, acquit him, or fail to agree on the evidence presented and fail to return a verdict, causing a mistrial.
Now that we know the jury has voted to convict the former president on all of the 34 counts, he could face fines of up to $5000 per count and incarceration of up to four years per count. That said, most legal experts seem to agree that prison time seems unlikely, especially given his age and lack of previous convictions.
Additionally, Judge Juan Merchan does have sentencing discretion based on the nature of the crimes, the defendant’s demeanor, and extenuating circumstances. He has in the past said that he would very carefully consider his options and that while he would certainly sentence Trump to jail time if warranted, he would also consider house arrest, probation, and other options.
Trump’s conviction will not prevent him from continuing his pursuit of the presidency. Jail time, house arrest, or probation could significantly interfere with his ability to campaign effectively by limiting his freedom of movement, though Merchan had previously noted that the latter two would not strangle his ability to communicate during his campaign.
Now that he has been convicted, Trump will almost certainly appeal and ask the courts to delay sentencing until they resolve appeals. Some legal pundits have even suggested that he might ask the courts to delay any sentences to allow him to fulfill his Constitutional duties, should he win the election in November.
This conviction brings with it a host of legal unknowns. The courts are still facing quite a number of unprecedented issues.
This is a developing story.
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