After several minutes of almost unbearable silence Thursday at Donald Trump's hush-money criminal case, the court officer’s voice rang out loud and clear through the courtroom.
She asked the jury to read the verdict. And in a steady, even tone, the foreman began.
A wave of guilty verdicts washed over Trump, as he sat motionless at the defence table.
At each “guilty,” he did not flinch or react physically.
In the courtroom Thursday, as the verdict was read, it felt like the air had turned to stone.
Sitting silent and still at the defence table, Trump kept his lips pursed as his lawyers, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove on either side of him, glanced sternly toward the judge.
As each juror verbally confirmed the decision to convict him, Trump turned his head in their direction and followed their faces one by one as they answered.
His pursed expression remained unchanged as his attorneys pleaded with the judge for acquittal, claiming Trump’s former fixer had committed perjury with his damning testimony on the stand.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office charged Trump with 34 counts of falsification of business records. he was guilty on all counts.
Prosecutors said that with Trump’s approval, his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to stay silent just before his 2016 presidential run about an alleged sexual encounter. Trump then was accused of approving a fraudulent scheme to disguise the reimbursement to Cohen as legal expenses.
He pleaded not guilty and denied having sex with Ms. Daniels.
The judge thanked the jury, and they left. In a a quick pivot, Justice Merchan turned to the matter of scheduling a sentencing.
When court finally adjourned, Trump rose from his seat with a deep frown on his face.
As he walked past son Eric Trump, he grasped his son's chest for a moment - though it was not clear who was comforting whom.
A few moments later, his son followed him out the door.
Latest Stories
-
Center for Learning and Childhood Development Director Dr Kwame Sakyi honoured at Ghana Philanthropy Awards
3 hours -
Asantehene receives 28 looted artefacts
4 hours -
CAF WCL 2024: Ghana’s Thelma Baffour wins title with TP Mazembe
5 hours -
Benjamin Boakye slams politicisation of energy sector issues and ECG’s inefficiencies
5 hours -
Erastus Asare Donkor and Dr Neta Parsram win big at 10th Mining Industry Awards
5 hours -
Government is “suppressing information” about power sector challenges – IES Director
5 hours -
Majority of our debts caused by forex shortfall – ECG Boss
6 hours -
Pan-African Savings and Loans supports Ghana Blind Union with boreholes
6 hours -
Bole-Bamboi MP Yussif Sulemana donates to artisans and Bole SHS
7 hours -
Top up your credit to avoid potential disruption – ECG to Nuri meter customers
7 hours -
Dutch & Co wins 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year Award
7 hours -
We’ll cut down imports and boost consumption of local rice and other products – Mahama
9 hours -
Prof Opoku-Agyemang donates to Tamale orphanage to mark her birthday
10 hours -
Don’t call re-painted old schools brand new infrastructure – Prof Opoku-Agyemang tells gov’t
11 hours -
Sunon Asogli plant will be back on stream in a few weeks – ECG
11 hours