This morning, many of us are emerging from the late coverage last night after the conviction of former President Donald Trump on 34 felonies. I was in the courtroom for the verdict, which hit like a thunderclap (particularly after a strange snafu with the judge). The question that everyone is asking: what happens next?
The scene in the court was a madhouse. Judge Juan Merchan told the court that the jury had not reached a verdict and would be dismissed for the day. Many reporters in the overflow courtroom were leaving when Merchan suddenly said that there was a verdict. People came running back into the courtroom. That was followed by 34 guilty verdicts.
I am obviously saddened by the verdict, but not surprised. Until the very end, I was hopeful that there would be a hung jury, a result that could restore some integrity to the New York criminal justice system. However, I previously noted that the jury instructions made conviction much more likely. I referred to the deliberations as a legal “canned hunt” due to instructions that made conviction a near certainty.
You could feel the weight of history in the courtroom, though we still have to see what history was made. For some, it was the conviction of the first president of a felony. For others, it was the key moment where the weaponization of the criminal system became clear and inescapable. It was both, obviously. Yet, the trial fulfilled narratives on both sides.
I ran outside to join the coverage. (One humorous moment was an officer screaming at reporters piling out of the courtroom to “walk not run.” It did not work.) It looked like the final judgment with everyone panicking to find an exit.
The scene outside the courtroom was surreal. The Trump supporters were outraged. The anti-Trump protesters were ecstatic, dancing and celebrating in the street.
While I have written a book about what I have called “the age of rage,” I am always shocked by such scenes. There is a dehumanizing element of these moments as people celebrate not just the first conviction of a president but a person. Rage is addictive and contagious. That was vividly evident outside the courtroom.
So what happens next?
Obviously, appeals will be taken. As I said last night, we must keep the faith. Indeed, moments like this require us to take a leap of faith in a nation that remains committed to the rule of law. Manhattan is neither the entirety of the country nor the legal system. I believe that these convictions will be overturned, but it will take time. Judge Merchan committed, in my view, layers of reversible error. Eventually, this case may reach the United States Supreme Court.
It has been suggested that an appeal could be taken directly to the Supreme Court. I find that doubtful after the Supreme Court rejected an expedited process for Special Counsel Jack Smith in his federal prosecutions. It will work first through the New York appellate system.
As for the criminal process, Trump will have to meet with a probation officer for an interview. That officer will make recommendations to the court.
There is a possibility of a jail sentence for felonies that come with up to four years for each offense. Any jail sentences would almost certainly run concurrently. However, any jail sentence would be ridiculous in Manhattan for an elderly first-offender in a non-violent offense.
Consistent with his past commentary, MSNBC legal analyst and former Mueller aide Andrew Weissmann predicted that Merchan will give Trump jail time. He is not alone as legal analysts seemed to get caught up in a thrill-kill conviction.
It is much more likely that Merchan will impose a sentence without a jail sentence, though with fines. The most appropriate, in my view, would be a conditional discharge that requires Trump not to commit a new crime or face potential imprisonment.
Merchan could also tailor a sentence to require home confinement or even weekend jailing. Those options would raise serious conflicts with his campaigning and obviously, if elected, serving as president. Even the probation process will be awkward since a convicted defendant ordinarily has to get approval for any travel outside of the state from his probation officer.
Sentences can also include community service, counseling and other requirements.
After his ruling in this trial, it is impossible to rule anything out. However, any jail sentence would add even more outrage to an abuse of the criminal law system.
The Trump team should pack the upcoming debate audience with former convicted felons, so that if Biden derides Trump as a “convicted felon”, Trump can point to the audience and ask…”What about them? Are you mocking them, as well?”
Cindy, Boden already decreed that there will be no audience at the debate.
And Trump agreed
well, dang….Maybe have a group who have benefitted from Trump’s First Step program, ready to be interviewed at some point after the debate??
to stand for truth is nothing for truth you have to go to jail fastenko notes from the gulag a solzhenitsyn
There was a crime, the charges spelled them out very clearly. You, all the trump sycophants, just did not believe Cohen, a convicted perjuror would be believed. But it was not just Cohen. Hope HIcks broke down crying when she rewalized she gave a critical answer that said trump did the payment to protect his campaign, It had nothing to do with his family.
The disagrement is not that trump was convicted, you all just did not believe the evidence.
Not true at all. She did no such thing. And there is nothing illegal about a hush money payment during an election not otherwise.
The state of NY just proved why a hush money payoff scheme in order to manipulate an election is illegal. Obviously you don’t agree with the law, but that just shows you don’t agree with the rule of law as it pertains to politics.
The state of NY just proved why a hush money payoff scheme in order to manipulate an election is
illegal
Except the indictment and the verdict NEVER touched on “hush money” AKA, None Disclosure Agreement. The NEVER violate a law.
You’re right. Hush money scheme was my characterization of, well, a hush money scheme…
The means by which the scheme played out — falsified documents– was the clearly elaborated crime which has now been adjudicated.
Probably time for you to stop relying on absolute ignorance as a defense.
Perhaps Iowan doesn’t think falsified business records are a big deal.
Maybe everyone should cheat on their taxes by falsifying business records. Let’s see what that does for government coffers. Then, perhaps folks will understand why falsifying business records is … a … big… deal.
There was nothing illegal about the hush money scheme.
NDA’s are not an illegal scheme.
If the Judge would have allowed the FEC investigator Smith to testify, he would have explained nothing done by Trump violated he law, criminal, or civil
“Indeed, moments like this require us to take a leap of faith in a nation that remains committed to the rule of law. ..”
A judge in Chicago released a defendant who stole a police car and ran over a cop. It’s hard to be more guilty of a felony than that. How do any of us know the nation remains committed to rule of law? Much more to the point in blue jurisdictions is not to deliver justice but to demoralize people who remain committed to the rule of law. We are now in a re-enactment of 1934 as nearly as I can see, and what is next? Our own version of Kristallnacht?
Turley asked “What happens next?”
In what context? What happens next in the narrow scope of this trial and its effect on the 2024 Presidential campaign? Or what happens next generally as a result of this travesty? In answer to the first question, beyond the obvious appeals, which will no doubt result in overturning this verdict (only question is at what level, i.e. when) is that Triump’s fundraising goes nuclear (his campaign fundraising site reportedly crashed yesterday immediately after the verdict because it could not handle the volume of donors) and his lead over Biden (once the statistical static settles) will only increase. As I mentioned in comments yesterday, I am a minarchist/small-l-libertarian, have been for most of my 70+ years, and as a result, I try to stay out of partisan politics to the greatest extent possible (I own a T-shirt that reads: “My Personal Politics Are Very Simple Q: Should the Government…? A: Nope). I only vote when there is a particular issue or candidate that seems to affect me direcctly and personally. I have never in my entire life donated money to a political campaign. I don’t like Donald Trump’s personality, or the fact that his policies seem easily swayed by advisors appealing to his massive narcissism, But I am on the verge of donating to his campaign, as a protest against this grotesque miscarriage of justice. It won’t be a lot of money, as I am in inveterate cheapskate. But it will serve as a protest against this absurdity. What happens next generally? First, and possibly most important, long term, is respect for the rule of law as serving objective and impartial justice has been dealt a major blow that might well prove to be mortal. Second, unless Trump finds some way to screw it up (possible), it propels him into the White House, along with a majority in both Houses of Congress. What follows that eventuality is an avalanche of unprincipled lawfare and political bloodletting against Democrats and the cowardly Republicans that did not staunchly oppose these proceedings, the likes of which have not been seen in this nations fro a very long time, if ever. Much of that lawfare will be without proper justification, a situation I would normally vocally oppose, but not this time. The ba$tard$ more than have it coming. The Federalist is already calling for this to happen:
After Trump’s Conviction, Republicans Should Do To Democrats What They Did To Him
https://thefederalist.com/2024/05/31/after-trumps-conviction-republicans-should-do-to-democrats-what-they-did-to-him/
We must follow the way of Demona!
The etymology of the word “profession” is the Greek / Latin word: “professio” meaning:
“A public declaration that carries the force of a promise.”
The public promise of the law profession has historically been to always be fair and impartial. With this verdict and Trump’s other indictments, the law industry has revealed itself to no longer being a profession but a political action committee for leftist tyrants.
Lawyers and the “profession” should be given the commensurate respect from this point forward
Nobody has been able to see what other crime was was concealed by the business record entries. This is a conviction on astral evidence from a Salem witch trial. It needs more than reversal. It needs obliteration.
Hello Mr. Turley – Are you aware of Martin Armstrong and his story ? He ended up in prison for 7 years because of a Manhattan judge. I believe he charge was contempt of court. https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/the-forecaster-film/
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/rule-of-law/trump-found-guilty-in-nyc-as-expected/
My prediction is: House Arrest (White House arrest!) 🙂
The Mean Old Man (MOM) in the WH has nothing but this to run on but it is not enough and all it does is remind people of the MOM’s treachery.
“ However, any jail sentence would be ridiculous in Manhattan for an elderly first-offender in a non-violent offense.”
Oh so it’s a bad idea to put Trump in jail because he’s…elderly. Trump is not some fragile old man. He plays golf, goes on rallies almost every week, attends meetings, runs a business and spends a lot of time posting on social media. Trump can spend time in jail. There are elderly people in jail all the time.
This was the result of Trump and his co-conspirators doing. They brought this in on themselves. Trump is not innocent in this.
Of course Trumps supporters including Turley were upset…saddened. Because they’ve been conditioned to believe Trump could never be held accountable. That any legal accusation against him is just a political attack. The Justice system did work. It’s not going to seem fair to him or his supporters. It doesn’t seem fair to tens of thousands of Americans every year who end up in jail over ‘trumped up charges’ and “corrupt” judges.
Trump is a citizen. Just like any other who winds up involved in the Justice system. Getting convicted showed he’s no more special than anybody else. Trump learned what “equal treatment under the law” means.
This ‘weak’ case turned out to be a historic case and a significant change for Trump. His travel will be restricted and he will have to be very careful about what he says and does. He could go to jail for any violation of his probation depending on the conditions imposed.
Welcome to the penal system Mr. Trump.
I thought that was exactly the argument that the special prosecutor from Biden’s DOJ offered as to why he wasn’t going to seek an indictment for Biden’s illegal possession of classified documents. If his age and fragile mental state wasn’t really the issue, then why would Biden get a pass on this but Trump gets indicted? It must be nice having friends at the DOJ…
” any jail sentence would be ridiculous in Manhattan for an elderly first-offender in a non-violent offense.”
New George misses what capable minds think. What did Hur say of Biden, who clearly and knowingly violated significant law and US security? Your mind lacks clarity, clearly missing everything that requires truthful data.
Hur didn’t say Biden couldn’t go to jail. He said Biden is not mentally fit to be prosecuted.
Trump got prosecuted. Going to jail is not going to harm his fragile elderly self.
“Hur didn’t say Biden couldn’t go to jail. He said Biden is not mentally fit to be prosecuted.”
New George though one might agree with your paraphrase, it is not accurate. Once again it is recognized that when you open your mouth the words are from the Speech Moron.
I think one of the best interviews on TV last night was Tulsi Gabbard. I paid particular attention to her because she was a recent democrat. You could see her seething emotions build as she waited to speak and then she let loose with a full throated condemnation of the Democrat Party and it’s “Power is Everything and the Only Thing”. Amazingly she did this in a controlled and highly articulate manner even as her body language screamed “Outrage”.
I would not mind seeing her on a Republican ticket as VP even knowing she is moderately left of center. She was powerful.
I also am contributing $1000.00 to Trump’s campaign today. Contributed $150 to Ken Paxton’ campaign in Texas last nite. And I will be looking about today for other candidates (all Republicans) to contribute to.
I also watched a tape of a progressive Democrat in California quit her party on the floor of the legislature because she could no longer support pedophilia running rampant in her state with no criminal justice for the victims. I was not sure if she was abandoning a sinking ship or a ship of fools. I guess it really does not matter.
I also saw that the Win-Red Republican contribution site crashed because of the groundswell of contributions.
Outrage yes, this is that time but it’s also time to collect your thoughts, plan your strategies and launch yourself into a take no prisoners campaign to destroy this apostasy called the Democratic Party.
Jesus said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” which is fine for all religious people to remember and carry in their hearts because he suffered for us and our souls.
I agree that the Democrats are still laughing about their victory. I’m not sure they realize really what they have done. I do and I have no forgiveness in my heart or sympathy for them no matter what befalls them.
I appreciated very much Trump’s defense counsel last nite and his advice to let the Dems have their day and jokes but sleep overnight and start back to work today.
I appreciate Professor Turley’s guidance through all of this and his comment’s. It gives me hope on this very dark day.
***I also am contributing $1000.00 to Trump’s campaign today.***
Your money will mot definitely NOT go his campaign. The vast majority of donations go straight into the pockets of his incompetent lawyers. It will pay for about 1 hour of legal fees.
FEC filings in February show him spending $230,000 per day on lawyers.
Have you been noticing all the TV ads he has been running ??
No ??
I haven’t either !!!
****** Correction
Your donation will pay for about 0.1 hour of legal fees, about 6 minutes.
You sound scared.
Anonymous-I know where my money goes and I am still happy to send it. I was not born yesterday, thank god. I am old enough to have studied history, politics, civics and all those other things that most people know nothing about. Thats why I left the Democrats in 1980 and never regretted it. Oh, and I will send much more money for legal fees and adds. Happily. News Flash (while typing) Trump raised over $35 million since last nite. A good start for the day.
GEB,
Well said.
I too will be donating to the Trump campaign.
Vote Trump!
Vote against Democrats!
Vote against lawfare!
GEB said: “Contributed $150 to Ken Paxton’ campaign in Texas last nite. And I will be looking about today for other candidates (all Republicans) to contribute to.”
Ditto (amounts may differ 🙂 I have been ambivalent about Paxton for quite some time. I just this morning saw that he is now publicly advocating for disbanding the FBI, which I regard as a fantastically good idea, so I now completely support him. I am hoping that Trump follows through on speculation that he will make Paxton his AG, where he would seem to have the power to accomplish what he is advocating (worst case it puts him a “put up or shut up” situation, never a bad thing to happen to a politician).
I must admit I like Paxton’s attitude. Churchill said about the commanding officer at Anzio “I thought we had placed a wildcat on the shore but instead we got a stranded Whale”. Thats kind of the way I thought of AG Sessions in 2017-2019.
We have the nerve and audacity to lecture as well intervene in the lives of other nations for the sake of “democracy”. We criticize the manner by which they run their elections, attack their political opponents in courts going as far to jail them or worse. Corrupt politicians send our sons and daughters into the breach to claim they’re being sent to end fascism and restore “democracy” while destroying it at home. Who will now come to our rescue to restore our “democracy” and our constitutional rights from judges like Merscum, his prosecutors and the democrats? Don’t tell me about voting them out when our elections have been corrupted with mail in ballots, harvesting, unattended ballot boxes and failure to confirm citizenship voters.
Totally agree. The era of the American Banana Republic has arrived.
I disagree with Turley’s assertion that the SC wouldn’t review this decision because they didn’t choose to for the MAL docs case. That case wasn’t ripe enough for their review. They would have wanted to see how the trial worked itself out first. This case is entirely different. Now you have a guilty verdict, and one was orchestrated to tie up Trump during this campaign. This case wasn’t being held in a vacuum. The SC needs to look at the totality of the election interference taking place, the ridiculous $500+ million judgment, the Atlanta case, and now this. The common thread here seems to be the Biden DOJ, a web of Dem operatives and donors, and frequent WH visits by the prosecution. This case isn’t going to get appealed in NY prior to the election, THAT IS THE POINT!
There was no crime committed, nothing proven,
as Lady Justice strutted without her blindfold
watching the felony farce.
The Democrats, in customary lockstep,
happily abandoned all critical thought,
as they now applaud the death of a democracy they once held dear.
They look so happy don’t they, baboons in captivity,
dancing in the streets,
as their Banana Republic ripens.
Rather >> crime committed and it was proven.
Kind of like there needs to be a crisis step down room for the trump cult today.
OR you could actually admit to what transpired……..but that would be the action of an adult, so nevermind.
Trump was convicted of 34 felonies. Spoiler alert: it’s all over the news today.
Another thing that happened: trumpist ignorance as a defense strategy has now been deemed obsolete. At least outside the confines of your brain, anyway.
“Lady Justice strutted without her blindfold”
Cindy, Lady Justice tripped, fell, and hit her head. Will she awaken from her coma in time to escort Trump to his inauguration?
S. Meyers…..Indeed! Excellent observation and question. Great to see you!
sorry… “Meyer”!!
Is there any expedited or federal appeal option here ?? I get that the Sup Ct declined Jack Smith’s request, but that was a naked political grab by Smith. In a case with so many federal constitutional violations, does the analysis change, where here it is the defendant that was railroaded in a sham trial precisely to hang a felony moniker around Trump’s neck before the election. Strike one and two. So if Trump can’t get this heard until after the election, justice deferred will be justice denied.
If the Republicans wanted to fight fire with fire, they have power of the purse; they could defund SC Jack Smith’s witch hunt. But they won’t. They could defund the FedStasi, but they won’t. Speaker Mike Johnson won’t do a damn thing. They could do a lot with the power they still have, but they won’t use it. Why? Because the Uni-party is real. The Deep State is real. The communist Left is taking over the country. The Republican party leadership does not want another Trump presidency; they are controlled opposition. The GOP has been working with Dems and capitulating to Biden’s agenda all along. Trump is pretty much on his own. If Trump succeeds in re-taking the White House in January 2025, it will be because God is on the move and “with God, All things are possible.”
Well, the trial did this for sure, Jon…, it got you to fully and openly proclaim your corporate loyalties to fox news…
“Obviously, appeals will be taken. As I said last night, we must keep the faith.”
I suppose we can add it the consistently wrong predictions you’ve made of how this case would turn out, from directed verdict to hung jury while you also began to allude to the fact the case had no place to go but conviction. It’s been an interesting ride seeing you twist yourself in knots while parroting the company position.
So now reality has given you its feedback and you’re openly proclaiming how you hoped it wouldn’t. You are indeed a sad and cautionary tale of someone who has progressively surrendered your principles and turned into someone claiming to be about the law while also actively taking actions to maintain a rogue ex president is above it. I do feel a sadness at seeing what you’ve become…
Look, we all are capable of making stunningly boneheaded mistakes…, but not all of us will do it so much in the public eye. Whatever you thought you’d get for your moral trade off was destined to fail in regard to your trump advocacy…, but just be thankful you have yet another off ramp opportunity. Please make the right decision this time. While this may be a tough time for you, there is still time not to be the American equivalent of a Nazi lawyer. We all know what would happen through a trump 2nd term as he unleashed Stephen Miller on immigration realities. Thank the forces that be you don’t have to align with that so hard should you take the opportunity you’ve been granted here.
Party on.
As the true Anonymous, I am compelled to respond to this partisan rant by person incapable of making the distinction between injustice and political savagery.
No citizen, to include Trump, should be subjected to this type of kangaroo court. This display trial disgraces centuries of law and ethics developed for the protection of human rights. To turn the legal system into a weapon for partisan politics on such a grand scale marks a turning point that will not be easily corrected. Be afraid.
True anonymous meet terrorist watch list. Have fun with it.
Almost every lawyer, experts, were wrong. Now seems like they not even talk about how wrong whole thing is, instead they all are already putting Pres.Trump to jail in their comments.
We the people will follow and vote for Trump even if he is in jail.Do not forget people power.
Nov 5th will be real trial and will defeat the Radical left, BECOUSE…
They can’t Buy him. They can’t Control him.Never could never will.
We The People
TRUMP 2024
❤🙏🤲 🇺🇸 🦅
I agree with Turley and Dershowitz who just added another banana to the banana republic tally. Best case scenario would be for Trump to get house arrest, win the election anyway and then move the White House to Mar-a-lago.
Nazi Germany 1930s is what we are seeing. A corrupt legal system from top to bottom. SCOTUS rulings mean nothing. They ruled Biden can’t forgive student loans & he keeps doing it.
Merchan is our own Roland Freisler.
Juan the Marxist is high on power. “You staring me down?”
“Look at me, Trump, I’m Juan the Marxist from Bogota, Columbia. Who’s got the power now, chump?”
“I did my job for The Party. I’ve got a fine cigar to go smoke and celebrate while my daughter Loren Merchan shows me the millions she is raking in from Democrat pols like Kamala and Adam Schiff.”
“Today was not just a good day for Communists in America, it was a good day for Juan Merchan and mi familia.”