Deliberations Begin in Criminal Hush Money Trial of Former President Donald Trump

As the criminal hush money trial of former President Donald Trump continues, the 12-member jury is poised to begin deliberating on nearly three dozen felony counts of falsifying business records. The trial, taking place at the Manhattan Supreme Court, marks the first time a former U.S. president has faced criminal charges.

Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan provided the jurors with instructions, emphasizing the importance of setting aside personal opinions or bias against Trump during their deliberations. This is a crucial step in ensuring a fair and just trial process.

Upcoming Criminal Cases Against Trump

While the current trial is underway, Trump also faces three other criminal cases. However, none of these cases is expected to start trial before November, coinciding with a potential rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden in the 2020 contest.

On the day of the trial, Trump refrained from speaking to reporters and avoided his usual tactic of criticizing the case and the judge. This departure from his typical behavior captures the seriousness of the trial proceedings.

Case Details

Trump is accused of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements given to his then-lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, for paying porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 prior to the 2016 presidential election. Prosecutors claim that Trump falsely recorded the reimbursements as legal expenses, concealing their true nature, which was to protect his campaign from potential damage.

This story is developing, and further updates will be provided as the trial progresses.