A Manhattan jury has convicted Donald Trump of all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the hush-money case.
The judge overseeing the case, Juan Merchan, will decide the punishment. Trump is unlikely to be sentenced to prison due to his first-time offender status and non-violent paper crime.
The punishment is likely to consist of fines, probation, community service, or a combination of these. The judge may view Trump’s conduct as a technical recording violation or as inflicting deep harm on the country. The jury did not have the option of convicting Trump of a misdemeanour, but both prosecutors and Trump’s lawyers will submit recommendations for sentencing.
Trump is expected to appeal, and any punishment will likely be on hold while an appeal is pending.
