The courtroom where Donald Trump was handed a guilty verdict, making him the first former American president to be convicted of a crime, felt like a scene from a political movie, according to a feature reporter’s account.
Andrew Rice, a reporter for New York Magazine, likened the trial to a political convention, complete with a nominee surrounded by a large entourage and a press pack – a group of journalists crammed into a small space, forced to “breathe the same stale air” – while supported raged outside.
As the power shifted to the jurors, the pace noticeably slowed. Andrew observed several journalists lingering on the 15th floor of the Manhattan criminal court building, gossiping and speculating about the trial’s outcome.
According to the features reporter, the 12-person jury certainly took their time. The first day of deliberations on May 29 were essentially refresher courses for the jury on Judge Juan Merchan’s instructions and the specific laws prosecutors claimed Trump had violated.
They also needed to revisit some of the testimony – after all, there were many players in the case.
“You couldn’t blame the jurors for wanting to hear it a second time,” stated Judge Merchan, as he reiterated the complex theory of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg who said “one intended crime (a conspiracy to win election via illegal means) was accomplished through a second intended crime (the jury could take its pick from several options, including the violation of federal campaign-finance laws), and concealed through a third crime.”
In layman’s terms, Andrew wrote, Trump faced 34 counts of falsifying business records related to his payment cover-up to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The triple threat of Trump’s wrongdoings escalated the business-records charge from a common misdemeanor to a felony.
Describing the moment of the verdict Rice said: “From the gallery, there was an audible gasp, and the clatter of laptops.”
“Please,” the judge said, “let there be no outbursts, no reactions of any kind once we take a verdict.”
Eric Trump was seen leaving the courtroom briefly, “wearing a stricken expression, and returned a few minutes later”.
Rice continued: “His father sat at the defense table, his arms crossed over his bright blue tie, and then leaned in as his attorney, Todd Blanche, whispered to him behind his hand.
He turned up his chin and prepared to take the punch. He stood as the jurors filed into the hushed room without giving him a look.
And then the foreman pronounced him guilty, 34 times over.
Rice further added that Blanche then asked, as a formality, for the jurors to be polled as Trump turned to look at them as each was asked if they agreed with the verdict before they answered in turn.
Trump reportedly showed no visible reaction to the verdict.
