History has been made as Donald Trump has become the first former United States president to be convicted of criminal felony.
The former US leader was convicted on Thursday in a New York court over allegation of falsifying business documents to evade tax, in the case now famously known as the “Hush Money Trial”.
The jury that convicted him returned the guilty verdict on all 34 charges brought against him by the prosecutors.
Not a few of his supporters have described the trial as politically motivated by the Biden administration which is afraid of defeat in the next presidential election. They insist they will vote for Trump despite his conviction.
But the former president opponents described his conviction as a very sad moment for the country, saying Americans who currently support him could change their mind as the election approaches.
Trump, meanwhile has pointedly accused President Joe Biden of culpability in his predicament, describing the trial as a plot to stop him.from becoming president for a second time.
The crux of the case, according to prosecutors, is that the former President committed the act to corrupt the 2016 presidential election which he won by defeating Hilary Clinton, then presidential candidate of the Democratic Party.
He would be officially sentenced on July 11, according to the US laws, few days before he officially becomes the Republican Presidential candidate for the November 2024 election.
Despite the conviction, Trump who has described the jury’s verdict as “rigged” also describing Juan Merchan, the judge who presided over the case as “corrupt convicted” judge is neck-to-neck in the opinion poll with incumbent President Joe Biden, on the question of who is likely to win the presidential election later this year.
According to US laws, Trump can still contest the presidential election despite the felony verdict on him.
Also, Trump is not likely to go to prison over the conviction, analysts say because he is a first time offender, according to the New York state laws.
In worst cases, first time felons are only made to serve four years maximum in jail or pay a fine as an option. Community service is also part of the punishment for felons in the state.
Trump defense attorneys are said to be planning to challenge the verdict in the appeal court after the sentencing later in July.
Trump Could Still Contest For President
The U.S. Constitution only requires that presidents to be at least 35 years old and U.S. citizens who have lived in the country for 14 years.
In theory, Trump could be sworn in from jail or prison on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, if he were to defeat Biden.
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