Jury deliberations begin in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial

The jury in Donald Trump’s explosive trial is now deliberating over the first criminal case against a US president in history.

Donald Trump complained that “Mother Teresa could not beat these charges” as a jury of 12 New Yorkers began their deliberations over the first criminal case against a US president in history.

After an explosive six-week trial in the Manhattan Criminal Court, the jurors were told by Judge Juan Merchan to set aside any feelings they had about the former president as they considered the charges against him.

“You are the judges of the facts, and you are responsible for deciding whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty,” he said.

Mr Trump is accused of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election, silencing her claim that they had a brief affair a decade beforehand.

Donald Trump speaking outside the courtroom as the jury began its deliberations. Picture: Charly Triballeau/AFP

If the 77-year-old is convicted, he could be sentenced to a prison term, or Judge Merchan could put Mr Trump on probation or slap him with a fine as he campaigns to return to the White House in November’s election against President Joe Biden.

“These charges are rigged. The whole thing is rigged,” Mr Trump complained as the jury began its deliberations.

“Mother Teresa could not beat these charges … It shouldn’t be brought and it certainly could’ve been brought seven years ago, not in the middle of a presidential election.”

The jury was sent to consider the case at 11.28am on Wednesday (local time), with Judge Merchan giving them five hours before they would otherwise have to return on Thursday.

For Mr Trump to be found guilty, the jurors must be unanimous in their decision on each charge. If they are deadlocked, the judge could declare a mistrial, leaving it up to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to decide whether to re-prosecute the unprecedented case.

Donald Trump’s supporters rallied outside the courthouse. Picture: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images via AFP

In his final instructions to the jury, Judge Merchan said they were “asked to make a very important decision about another member of the community”.

“I know you would not want to make that decision based on such stereotypes or attitudes,” he said.

“You must set aside any personal opinions you have in favour or against the defendant.”

He reminded the jury that Mr Trump was “not required to prove that he is not guilty”.

“A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree when with intent to defraud – which includes the intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof – he makes or causes a false entry in the records of a business enterprise,” Judge Merchan told them.

Mr Trump attacked the judge as “corrupt” throughout the trial, including in a barrage of posts on his social media platform after closing arguments wrapped up on Tuesday.

He also blasted Hollywood legend Robert De Niro – who was deployed by the Biden campaign to attack Mr Trump outside the courthouse – as a “broken-down fool”.

“But we’re going to win this election,” Mr Trump told reporters.

The jury later returned to the courtroom to review several key exchanges during the trial, including testimony about a meeting at Trump Tower in 2015 at which prosecutors alleged Mr Trump concocted a conspiracy to buy and bury negative stories about him.

The jurors requested to hear the evidence about that meeting from Michael Cohen, who was Mr Trump’s lawyer and later made the payment to Ms Daniels, and David Pecker, who was the boss of the American Media, Inc. tabloid empire that aided the “catch-and-kill” scheme.

Originally published as Jury deliberations begin in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial