'This defendant may be unlike any other in American history': Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg on Donald Trump's charges

Australian Community Media

The former US president has been found guilty of 34 charges in his 'hush money' trial. The charges, however, will not stop Trump running for president or becoming president if elected in November, 2024.

Transcript

00:00 First and foremost, I want to thank the jury for its service.

00:05 Jurors perform a fundamental civic duty.

00:10 Their service is literally the cornerstone of our judicial system.

00:15 We should all be thankful for the careful attention that this jury paid to the evidence and the law

00:24 and their time and commitment over these past several weeks.

00:29 Twelve everyday New Yorkers, and of course our alternates, heard testimony from 22 witnesses,

00:38 including former and current employees of the defendant, media executives, book publishers, custodians of records, and others.

00:50 They reviewed call logs, text messages, and emails.

00:55 They heard recordings. They saw checks and invoices, bank statements, and calendar appointments.

01:05 This type of white collar prosecution is core to what we do at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

01:13 In the 1930s, District Attorney Thomas Dewey ushered in the era of the modern, independent, professional prosecutor.

01:24 For now nearly 90 years, dedicated professionals in this office have built upon that fine tradition.

01:32 A major part of our practice during that nearly 90 years has been public integrity work,

01:38 including cases involving jurists, local and state electeds, public servants, and others.

01:48 I want to thank this phenomenal prosecution team, embodying the finest traditions of this office,

01:59 professionalism, integrity, dedication, and service.

02:04 They are model public servants, and I am proud and humbled to serve side by side with them.

02:16 The 12 everyday jurors vowed to make a decision based on the evidence and the law, and the evidence and the law alone.

02:28 Their deliberations led them to a unanimous conclusion beyond a reasonable doubt

02:35 that the defendant, Donald J. Trump, is guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree

02:43 to conceal a scheme to corrupt the 2016 election.

02:49 While this defendant may be unlike any other in American history,

02:55 we arrived at this trial and ultimately today at this verdict in the same manner as every other case that comes through the courtroom doors,

03:05 by following the facts and the law, and doing so without fear or favor.

03:15 I want to conclude by expressing deep gratitude to the NYPD and the officers of the Office of Court Administration

03:26 for securing the courthouse, all of our safety, making sure the courthouse and all of the other matters

03:34 that are important in their own right continued seamlessly.

03:38 They will continue to be and have always been incredible partners. Thank you.

03:43 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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