Jury deliberations have commenced in the landmark criminal trial involving former President Donald Trump and allegations of hush money payments. The panel, consisting of seven men and five women, will be deliberating on 34 counts of falsifying business records that are linked to the cover-up of payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence suggesting that Trump knowingly authorized monthly payments of $35,000 to his former fixer, Michael Cohen. These payments were intended to reimburse Cohen for the $130,000 he had provided to prevent Daniels from disclosing details of an alleged affair with Trump just before the 2016 election.
The 34 counts under consideration by the jury include 11 invoices, 12 vouchers, and 11 checks related to the payments made to Cohen. These transactions encompass not only the reimbursement for the hush money but also additional funds designated as bonuses, payments to a tech company, and money allocated for tax purposes.
Despite the evidence presented in court, Trump has consistently denied any knowledge of the reimbursements to Cohen and has refuted the allegations of a sexual encounter with Stormy Daniels.
As the jury begins its deliberations, Trump and his legal team are expected to remain present in the courthouse. This arrangement ensures that they can promptly address any inquiries or notes that the jury may have during the deliberation process.
