Trump hush money trial: Trump found guilty on all counts in historic case

Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts in his hush money trial.

Former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been convicted on criminal charges.

Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.


Trump guilty on all 34 counts


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Proceedings are underway

Judge Juan Merchan took his seat on the bench and began the day's proceedings.

After introductions from the lawyers, Merchan said his usual, "Good morning, Mr. Trump."

Before Merchan entered the courtroom, one of the court officers left a document on the bench and handed copies to both parties.


Trump, prosecutors arrive

Former President Trump has entered the courthouse for the day's proceedings.

The prosecution team has arrived in the courtroom. Prosecutor Josh Steinglass was seen reviewing documents with a court reporter.


Court staff preparing binders for readback testimony

Ahead of the start of deliberations this morning, court stenographers are sorting through seven enormous transcript binders that are scattered around the jury box.

With the jury requesting readbacks of testimony, the transcripts are set to play a key role in this morning's proceedings.

About 60 members of the press are packed into the gallery ahead of the proceedings.


Trump team hoping for a hung jury, say sources

As jurors begin their second day of deliberations, Trump's legal team feels that the longer the jury deliberates, the more they're hoping for a hung jury, sources told ABC News.

Trump's lawyers see the requests the jury has made to rehear testimony from the case as a mixed bag, the sources said -- not positive news that jurors wanted to rehear former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker's testimony, but at the same time feeling optimistic that jurors requested portions of Michael Cohen's transcript.

Trump's attorneys are looking for any indication that the jury will probe issues surrounding Cohen's credibility, which cuts to the core of their defense, according to the sources.

"We want chaos ... we want evidence of strong disagreements," one person close to Trump's legal team said regarding the jury, signaling their hope that at least one juror will raise doubts about the theories presented by the prosecution.

-Katherine Faulders and John Santucci


Trump's tweets were a message not to cooperate, state says

After Michael Cohen implicated Trump in the hush money scheme in August 2018, Trump was "furious," prosecutor Josh Steinglass told the jury.

"His fixer had done the unthinkable, and Trump immediately went on the attack -- an attack that continues to this day," he said.

Steinglass showed a tweet Trump posted the following day: "If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you don't retain the services of Michael Cohen!"

"This is the day after he pled guilty," Steinglass said.

Steinglass argued that Trump's tweets after Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 were warning messages to other potential witnesses who could cooperate against him.

"These tweets were not only designed to punish Cohen," Steinglass said. "Cooperate or you will face the wrath of Donald Trump," was the message they conveyed.

Steinglass described a "vexatious and punitive lawsuit" Trump filed against Michael Cohen and a defamation suit against Stormy Daniels as evidence of his punitive means against people who epoks out against him.

After a series of sustained objections regarding Trump's tweets and their alleged impact on Cohen's safety, Judge Merchan smiled and told the jury, "This might be a good time to take our last recess of the day."