Donald Trump found guilty on 34 counts: Will he go to jail and can he still be president?


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Donald Trump has shattered precedents and norms throughout his career. On Thursday, he achieved another first for any sitting or former president: Convicted felon.

A New York jury found Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up payments made to an adult film star during the 2016 election.

Here is a look at what could happen next:

What happens now?

Juan Merchan, the judge presiding over the case, must first approve the verdict and enter a final judgment, although this is typically a formality.

Mr Merchan also ordered a probation report to be submitted to him before sentencing, which may involve Trump being interviewed by a New York probation officer.

Criminal defendants in New York are typically sentenced within weeks of conviction, but post-verdict legal wrangling can sometimes lead to months of delays.

There is also the matter of Trump's gag order, which is still in place and restricts him from publicly speaking about jurors and witnesses, as well as the families of Mr Merchan and District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Mr Merchan has set a sentencing date of July 11.

Will Trump end up in prison?

He could, but it is unlikely.

The maximum sentence for Trump’s crime of falsifying business records is four years in prison.

But it is rare for people with no criminal history who are convicted only of falsification of business records to be sentenced to prison in New York.

Defendants convicted of falsifying business records who get sentenced to time behind bars typically serve a year or less, and even in those cases most were convicted of other crimes such as fraud or grand larceny – unlike Trump.

The prosecution has not shared if it will pursue jail time for Trump. It is also unclear if Mr Merchan would follow such such a suggestion.

What is a likely sentencing for Trump?

A fine, probation, home confinement or community service are far more likely options, legal experts told AFP.

If punished beyond a fine, Trump could be placed under home confinement or subject to a curfew rather than imprisoned.

As a former president, he has a lifetime Secret Service detail, and the logistics of keeping him safe behind bars could be complicated.

Mr Merchan asked Trump's defence team to file any pre-sentencing motions by June 13 and for prosecutors to respond by June 27.

Can Trump appeal?

Yes.

"We're going to be appealing this scam," Trump said on Friday. His lawyers can file an appeal 30 days after the July 11 sentencing.

Trump will probably make arguments that Mr Merchan rejected before the trial, including that the indictment is legally flawed and politically motivated.

He is also likely to argue that Mr Merchan deprived him of a fair trial by making legal errors, including allowing salacious testimony by a former adult film star who said she had an affair with Trump – testimony his lawyers said was gratuitous and aimed at inflaming the jury against him.

Can a felon still run for president in the US?

The short answer is yes.

The US Constitution only requires that presidents be at least 35 years old and US citizens who have lived in the country for 14 years.

In theory, Trump can still campaign for the presidency from behind bars. And he could be sworn in from jail or prison on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, if he were to unseat President Joe Biden.

He would not, however, have the power to pardon himself. Presidents can only take such action in federal cases. This was a New York state prosecution.

Can a felon vote? Can Trump vote for himself?

Usually, no. It depends on which state a felon resides and was convicted in.

Trump’s conviction put a spotlight on felon disenfranchisement and a wider movement to restore rights.

He may have been convicted of a felony and reside in Florida, a state notorious for restricting the voting rights of felons, but he can still vote as long as he stays out of prison in New York state, the Associated Press said.

This is because Florida defers to other states’ disenfranchisement rules for residents convicted of felonies out of state.

In Trump’s case, New York law only removes the right to vote while a person incarcerated.

Once the person is out of prison, their rights are automatically restored — even if they are on parole, per a 2021 law passed by the state’s Democratic legislature.

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

  • be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
  • not be younger than 25 years old
  • not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
  • be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
  • have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
  • undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
  • A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Benioff%2C%20D%20B%20Weiss%2C%20Alexander%20Woo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBenedict%20Wong%2C%20Jess%20Hong%2C%20Jovan%20Adepo%2C%20Eiza%20Gonzalez%2C%20John%20Bradley%2C%20Alex%20Sharp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

La Mer lowdown

La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
 

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

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Score

Third Test, Day 2

New Zealand 274
Pakistan 139-3 (61 ov)

Pakistan trail by 135 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the innings

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

2019 ASIAN CUP FINAL

Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi

The low down

Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films

Director: Namrata Singh Gujral

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark

Rating: 2/5

Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar

The specs: Macan Turbo

Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October

'The Sky is Everywhere'

Director:Josephine Decker

Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon

Rating:2/5

Silent Hill f

Publisher: Konami

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Rating: 4.5/5

Updated: May 31, 2024, 7:44 PM