Donald Trump’s hush money trial has reached a critical juncture as the jury, consisting of seven men and five women, has begun deliberations. This follows 16 days of testimony from nearly two dozen witnesses and extensive closing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.

 The Case Against Trump

Charges: Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. These charges are connected to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who alleged a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. The payments were made by Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen, amounting to $130,000, which prosecutors argue were falsely logged as “legal expenses” to obscure their true purpose.

Defence: Trump denies all charges and has pleaded not guilty, claiming that even a figure like “Mother Teresa” could not overcome the allegations against him.

Jury Deliberation Process

Task: The jury must determine whether Trump is guilty of at least one of the felony counts. Specifically, they are deciding if Trump made or caused false entries in his company’s records with the intent to commit or conceal illegal activities aimed at influencing his 2016 presidential campaign.

Criteria for Conviction: For a conviction, the jury must unanimously agree that Trump created or caused false entries with the intent of committing or hiding a state law violation. This law prohibits conspirators from promoting or preventing the election of any person to a public office by unlawful means.

Unanimity on Unlawful Acts: While the jurors must unanimously agree that some unlawful act was committed to benefit Trump’s election campaign, they do not need to be unanimous on what specific unlawful act was committed.

 Implications of the Verdict

Conviction: A conviction would be unprecedented, making Trump the first former US president to be found guilty in a criminal trial. This could have profound legal and political consequences, potentially affecting his future in public office.

Acquittal: If acquitted, Trump would avoid criminal penalties, although the details and implications of the trial could still influence his public image and political career.

As the world watches, the jury’s decision will mark a significant moment in US history, determining the legal fate of a former president.