Jurors in New York have begun closed-door deliberations that will determine whether Donald Trump will be the first former US president in history convicted of a crime.
Trump, 77, has been charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to a $130,000 hush-money payment that his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, made to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 election.
Justice Juan Merchan on Wednesday issued instructions to the jurors on the law governing the case and what they can take into account in evaluating the former president’s guilt or innocence.
The 12 jurors have sat silently in a New York courtroom for more than six weeks as prosecutors laid out their case and Trump’s lawyers tried to knock it down.
Their verdict could upend the 2024 presidential race, in which Trump is seeking again to win the White House.
A conviction will not prevent Trump, the Republican candidate, from trying to win the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 5 election. Nor will it prevent him from taking office if he wins.
Opinion polls show the two men locked in a tight race. But Reuters/Ipsos polling has found that a guilty verdict could cost Trump support among independent and some Republican voters.
A verdict of not guilty would remove a major legal barrier, freeing Trump from the obligation to juggle court appearances and campaign stops. If convicted, he would be expected to appeal. Trump faces three other criminal prosecutions, but they are not expected to go to trial before the November 5 election.
Biden campaign officials say any verdict will not substantially change the dynamics of the election.
