Donald Trump’s guilty verdict: how much prison time can he serve? What did he actually do? Everything you need to know if the former US president is convicted

Donald Trump was last night found guilty on all counts in his historic criminal trial involving “hush money” payments intended to silence porn star Stormy Daniels.

The jury of seven men and five women at Manhattan Criminal Court deliberated for nearly 10 hours before convicting the former president of all 34 counts of falsifying company records.

It was the first time that a former American president had faced a criminal trialThe judgment could turn the year 2024 upside down White House race, which proves to be a pivotal moment in United States history.

Outside the courthouse, a visibly dejected Trump called the verdict a “disgrace” and the trial “rigged by a conflicted judge,” before insisting he would continue to challenge the conviction and subsequent sentencing ahead of the November election.

“The real verdict will be pronounced by the people on November 5 and they know what happened here, and everyone knows what happened here.

‘I just think it’s a shame. And we will continue to fight and fight until the end, and we will win because our country has gone to hell,” he said.

Now MailOnline explains what happens next.

Can he run for president?

Yes.

There is no part of the US Constitution that prohibits convicted felons from running for president, meaning Trump could well be elected the 47th president of the United States this November.

However, he is the only former or serving U.S. president to be found guilty of a crime, as well as the first major party presidential candidate to be a convicted felon.

Can he still vote?

Yes, for now.

In Florida, where Trump lives, it is notoriously difficult for criminals to regain their voting rights.

But he was convicted in New York, and the Sunshine State generally respects disenfranchisement rules for residents convicted out of state.

This means that Trump could vote provided he is not behind bars on Election Day – this is the New York rule that would take effect in Florida.

Which brings us to the next question…

Will he go to jail?

Maybe.

Trump was found guilty of all 34 crimes for falsifying company records.

But it will be up to Judge Juan Merchan to decide whether his sentence will include jail time.

Legal experts told the Mail that Trump is unlikely to receive a prison sentence as he is a non-violent first-time offender.

But it is possible, if unlikely, that the Republican Party nominee will ultimately end up in a prison cell.

The Trump team has vowed to appeal the conviction.

He will now face the Appellate Division in Manhattan, and possibly the Court of Appeals, and will remain free on bail while he does so.

What punishment can he receive?

The charges on which Trump was convicted each carry a maximum prison sentence of up to four years.

If he were given the maximum sentence for each guilty conviction, he would receive a very long prison sentence, but legal experts agree there is no chance of that happening.

Lawyers believe the most likely outcome of the trial would be a hefty fine, as Trump had never committed a crime before his guilty plea in the case.

But the former president will certainly appeal any sentence handed down.

What did he actually do?

The case centered on allegations that Trump tried to “corrupt” the 2016 election by concealing a $130,000 hush money payment made by his “fixer” Michael Cohen to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Prosecutors say this was a fraudulent label intended to conceal the purpose of the hush money transaction and illegally interfere with the 2016 election.

Daniels claimed she and Trump had sex a decade earlier, which he has denied.

The case featured explosive evidence from Daniels and exposed the “catch and kill” practices of the tabloid National Enquirer, which bought and suppressed stories that could be damaging to Trump.

But the actual criminal charges related to the reimbursements that Trump signed for Cohen for the payment.

The fees, paid by Trump in monthly installments, were recorded as legal fees.

Prosecutors said this was a fraudulent label intended to conceal the purpose of the hush money transaction and illegally interfere with the 2016 election – hence the allegations of falsifying company records.

Trump’s lawyers, meanwhile, argued that Cohen had actually done substantive legal work for Trump and his family, and that his fees were therefore recorded as legal expenses.

Ultimately, the jury agreed with the prosecutor and found Trump guilty on all counts.

When will he be sentenced?

Judge Juan Merchan set Trump’s sentencing date for July 11.

That date falls just four days before the start of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he will formally accept the Republican Party’s presidential nomination.

As the nominee, Trump is expected to personally address the convention on the final night.

But these plans could be thwarted if Trump receives a prison sentence.

What about his other lawsuits?

The criminal trial against Trump in connection with the payment of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels was only the first of four criminal cases against the ex-president to go to trial.

The former president also faces charges stemming from special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into election interference and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, as well as charges over the alleged mishandling of classified documents in Florida.

In total, Trump faces 88 criminal cases, including the 34 for which he was convicted in New York on Thursday. That leaves 54 charges that the president and his legal team will have to defend at some point in the future.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

But the dates for the three other criminal cases have not yet been set, meaning they are unlikely to interrupt the election process.