When will verdict in Trump’s hush money trial be out? Jury begins deliberating outcome of historic case

Trump is accused of illegally concealing hush-money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to hide their alleged affair ahead of the US presidential elections in 2016, when Melania Trump was pregnant with their son Barron.

All eyes are on a 12-member jury, which may make a judgment on Wednesday, April 29, or in the coming days, on whether Trump will become the country’s first former president to be convicted of a crime, a landmark decision that could upend the 2024 US presidential elections.

A deeper look at Trump’s case

Trump has been charged with 34 misdemeanor counts of manipulating business documents in connection with a $130,000 hush-money payment made by his former attorney, Michael Cohen, to Daniels.

During the ongoing trial, the prosecution has attempted to show that the fabrications were part of a larger conspiracy hatched by Trump to illegally affect the 2016 presidential election and stop Daniels from making any public statement about their sexual encounter.

However, Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee for 2024, has strongly rejected all these allegations and pleaded not guilty. He has even described the entire trial as a political attack and accused Biden of conspiring against him ahead of the November elections.

For the criminal accusations against Trump to stand, jurors have to concur with prosecutors’ assertions that the deceptions were done with the purpose to conduct or hide another crime.

Also Read: Donald Trump calls Robert De Niro ‘pathetic and sad’ after actor’s NYC press conference

When will Trump’s hush money verdict get delivered?

On Wednesday, when jurors started deliberations, Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, gave comprehensive instructions outlining the particular legal questions at the heart of the case.

He also informed that which details they should and should not consider when deciding if Trump is guilty in the case.

Notably, not a single jurors looked at Trump while entering the courtroom to begin deliberations. Moreover, Merchan instructed Trump to remain at the Manhattan courthouse for the deliberations.

While the jury is expected to announce a verdict as early as Wednesday afternoon, it could also take days or even a week to arrive at a decision. 

Judge is obliged to accept a verdict only if…

Jurors, who will have a full access to all evidence provided in the case so far, will also be able to inquire about questions of the judge. Following this, Merchan will consult with prosecutors and defense attorneys before determining how to respond.

The judge is obliged to accept a verdict only if all 12 jurors unanimously agreed on all 34 counts. However, if they fail to do so, the trial will end in a deadlock or hung jury, with Merchan declaring a mistrial.

The judge will summon both sides to the courtroom when the jurors notify the court that they have arrived at a verdict. He must still uphold the verdict and render a final judgment. Either party may also ask him to essentially bypass the jury.