Can Trump be president again? and 4 other questions left by the historic trial in which he was found guilty

donald trump was found guilty this Thursday in a Manhattan court of falsifying documents to hide a payment to the former porn actress Stormy Daniels in exchange for his silence about an alleged extramarital relationship they had.

It is the first time that a former president of the United States has been convicted in a criminal trial.

LOOK: Who is Stormy Daniels, the porn star at the center of the case for which Donald Trump was found guilty

The jury in the case returned its verdict after two days of deliberation. He found him guilty of the 34 charges of which he was accused.

Trump is expected to be the Republican candidate for the presidential elections on November 5.

After learning of the ruling, the former president declared that it was “a rigged trial” and that “the real verdict will be that of the people in November.”

We tell you what will happen next in the case and how it affects Trump’s presidential aspirations.

1. What’s next?

Trump left the court today a free man.

Judge Juan Merchán announced that He will be sentenced on July 11 At 10 am.

The judge will have to consider several factors when handing down the sentence, such as his age (he is 77 years old), his lack of criminal record and, possibly, his failure to comply with gag orders issued by the court (for which he has already been fined ).

The sentence may involve a fine, probation or supervised release, or a prison sentence, which could be a maximum of 4 years.

Definitely, Trump will choose to appeal the verdicta process that will take months or even years.

While you appeal, you are expected to keep bail.

2. Will Trump go to jail?

It is possible, although very unlikelythat Trump serve time behind bars.

The 34 charges for which he was convicted are all class E felonies in New York, the least serious. The charges could carry a maximum sentence of four years.

Due to Trump’s age, his lack of criminal record and the fact that it is a non-violent crime, Judge Merchán could opt for a lesser sentence and thus avoid putting a former president and virtual candidate behind bars.

There is also a practical issue. Trump, like all former presidents, has the right to lifelong protection from the Secret Service. This means that some agents would have to protect him in prison.

Still, it would be extremely difficult to run a prison with a former president as an inmate. I would be a huge security risk and very expensive.

“Prison systems care about two things: the security of the institution and keeping costs down,” says Justin Paperny, director of prison consultancy White Collar Advice.

With Trump, “it would be a real spectacle… no prison director would allow it,” he adds.

3. Can Trump be president again?

Yeah. The US Constitution sets few eligibility requirements for presidential candidates: They must be at least 35 years old, be a natural-born US citizen and have lived in the country for at least 14 years. There are no rules preventing candidates with criminal records from participating.

Politically, it is impossible to know how Thursday’s verdict will influence the presidential race.

A Bloomberg and Morning Consult poll from earlier this year found that 53% of voters in key swing states would refuse to vote for Republican Trump if convicted.

Another Quinnipiac University poll found that 6% of Trump voters would be less likely to vote for him if convicted, something that could have consequences in such a close election.

However, given how strong support for Trump has been over the past eight years, answers to hypothetical questions may not accurately reflect reality.

4. What would be the reasons to appeal the sentence?

Stormy Daniels’ statements could be one of the reasons.

“The level of detail he provided wasn’t really necessary to tell the story,” explains Anna Cominsky, a professor at New York Law School.

“On the one hand, its details make it credible. As a prosecutor, you want to provide enough detail for the jury to believe what is being said. On the other hand, there is a line, where that can be converted into irrelevant and harmful”.

Trump’s defense team twice asked for a mistrial during Daniels’ testimony, requests that were denied by the judge.

Beyond that, the novel legal strategy adopted by the district attorney in this case may also give rise to an appeal.

Falsifying business documents may be a misdemeanor in New York, but Trump faced more serious charges because, for New York prosecutors, it was a attempt to illegally influence the 2016 elections.

Prosecutors have broadly alleged that federal and state election laws were violated in this case.

Legal experts say there are questions about the scope and application of the federal law that could be grounds for appeal.

Never before had a state prosecutor invoked an uncharged federal crime, and the question arises whether the Manhattan district attorney had the jurisdiction to do so.

5. Could Trump pardon himself if he wins the election?

No. Presidents can grant pardons to those who have committed federal crimes. This case is a state matter, meaning it would be out of Trump’s hands if he were to become president again.

The same goes for the case Trump faces in Georgia, where he has been accused of criminally conspiring to overturn his narrow loss to President Joe Biden in that state during the 2020 election. That case is currently bogged down in appeals.

Trump faces two other cases that are federal, but neither is likely to see a trial before the election.

If he were found guilty in either of those two cases, experts disagree on whether he could use the pardon power to benefit himself. Trump could be the first to try it.

*Reporting by Holly Honderich, Madeline Halpert and Kayla Epstein.