#POTUS has said he will NOT #pardon his son. The president kept his distance from the trial & was not in office on 12 Oct 2018, when Hunter asserted he was drug-free on a background check when he was addicted to crack cocaine.
#POTUS underscored #Trump “was given every opportunity to defend himself” & the case “was heard by a jury of…12 people like you & millions of Americans who serve on juries…chosen the same way every jury in America” is chosen.
“The jury heard 5 weeks of evidence, 5 weeks, & after careful deliberation, the jury reached a #unanimous verdict. They found Donald Trump #guilty on all 34 #felony counts. Now, he’ll be given the opportunity, as he should, to #appeal that decision….”
Each page yesterday took him just a little more than a minute, so this will take >30 mins.
Between that & the testimony readbacks, also expected to take >30 mins, there will likely be >1 hour this morning w/the jury in the courtroom, not actively deliberating.
Before that is heard, Trump will be dealing w/ the #criminal#justice system.
Trump’s #sentencing is July 11.
He could be sentenced prison or probation.
A pre-sentencing report makes recommendations based on the defendant’s criminal record — Trump had none before this case — as well as his personal history & the crime itself.
Tues 29 May 2024 🧵
Good morning! It’s the last day of the #TrumpTrial before jury #deliberations.
Today Justice #Merchan will give #JuryInstructions. Then they will discuss the case among themselves for the first time; they have not been allowed to even discuss it w/each other as yet.
Closing arguments took place yesterday, & the lawyers will have no further opportunity to address the jurors before they determine whether #Trump is #guilty or not guilty of 34 felonies.
Justice #Merchan would likely hand down #Trump’s sentence several weeks after the #guilty#verdict. But it’s possible that any punishment could be delayed.
Trump… will undoubtedly #appeal any #conviction, a lengthy process that could take months or longer & would likely not be resolved before Election Day. In that case, he would likely remain free until the appeal is resolved.
The decision to hear the appeal reopens the possibility that#FaniWillis, the Fulton County district attorney, could be disqualified from prosecuting Trump & 14 #CoConspirators over efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Jeff DiSantis, a spox for the DA’s office, noted in a text message that the case had not been put on hold, adding that prosecutors will “work to move it forward to #trial as quickly as possible.” The DA’s office will only comment on the #appeal in #court filings, he said.
The danger posed to #Trump’s #finances by 2 recent judgments against him has been, if anything, underappreciated. The size of the awards, the structure of his business empire, & the condition of the #RealEstate#market combine to create a truly perilous moment for #TrumpOrganization &, by extension, for Trump’s personal finances.
Typically, a defendant who has substantial #assets but needs piles of #cash will obtain a #bond, rather than posting the #money themselves. Under such an arrangement, a bonding company effectively vouches for #Trump w/the court, guaranteeing that the money is available. If Trump wins his #appeal, he pays the bonding company only a fee. If he loses, he has to pay in full. But Trump seems to be struggling to obtain such a bond.