Jurors in Donald Trump's hush money trial finished their first day of closed-door deliberations on Wednesday (May 29) without reaching a verdict that would decide the fate of the only U.S. president to be charged with a crime. - REUTERS
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00:00 Jurors in Donald Trump's hush money trial finished their first day of closed-door deliberations
00:07 on Wednesday without reaching a verdict.
00:10 They're tasked with weighing the evidence and testimony from the last five weeks in
00:14 the first criminal trial of a U.S. president.
00:18 It's unclear how long that will take.
00:20 Mother Theresa could not be discharged.
00:23 These charges are rigged.
00:24 The whole thing is rigged.
00:26 Trump is charged with falsifying business documents to cover up a hush money payment
00:30 to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election.
00:36 He is pleaded not guilty and denies wrongdoing.
00:40 Justice Juan Merchan instructed the 12 jurors and six alternates not to rely solely on the
00:46 testimony of star witness Michael Cohen, who said he paid $130,000 out of his own pocket
00:54 to prevent Daniels from telling voters about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.
00:59 Cohen said Trump approved the payoff.
01:02 Trump's lawyers have argued jurors cannot rely on a convicted felon to tell the truth.
01:08 Any verdict requires unanimous agreement by all jurors, and the judge will declare a mistrial
01:13 if they are unable to all agree.
01:15 A guilty verdict could upend the 2024 presidential race, but not prevent Trump from running or
01:22 taking office if he wins.
01:26 New York Law School professor Anna Kaminsky.
01:29 So although there is a maximum sentence of four years in prison, it's highly unlikely
01:36 that the former president would serve any time in prison.
01:39 It's much more likely that there would be something like a fine and probation or a combination
01:44 of those things.
01:45 Trump is expected to appeal if convicted.
01:48 While Trump faces three other criminal prosecutions, they're not expected to go to trial before
01:52 the election.
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