NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Thursday, May 30, 2024

Episode Date: May 31, 2024

Jury finds Donald Trump guilty of all 34 felony counts; Jury's conviction of Donald Trump is a milestone; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, a watershed moment in this nation's history. For the first time, an American president convicted of criminal conduct, all in the middle of an election season. Donald Trump convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records after a Manhattan jury deliberated for nine and a half hours. Will the former president face prison time or just probation for the low-level felonies in the Hush money case? And how will the judicial system handle the unprecedented case of a former president with

Secret Service protection? The political fallout, how will this impact Donald Trump's campaign for the presidency? The real verdict is going to be November 5th. Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, defiant tonight, proclaiming his innocence, calling the process rigged and accusing President Biden of backing a political persecution as he addressed cameras outside the courtroom. The Biden campaign saying, quote, we saw that no one is above the law. And how will a nation driven by political division react? Our complete historic coverage coming up.

This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome. Guilty on all counts. Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States, was found guilty late today in a New York courthouse on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal payments to a porn star just before the 2016 election. The stunning verdict was delivered by a Manhattan jury of seven men and five women who deliberated for two days, making Mr. Trump the first former American president to be convicted of a crime. He remains the presumptive Republican nominee in the close race for president.

Mr. Trump stood in the courtroom in lower Manhattan as each of the jurors confirmed they agreed with the verdict. Afterward, Mr. Trump called it a disgraceful trial and still claimed he didn't do a thing wrong. In a statement, President Biden's campaign said, in New York today, we saw that no one is above the law, adding that Donald Trump has always mistakenly believed he would never face consequences for breaking the law for his own personal gain. Today's conviction will no doubt have an impact one way or another on this year's election. We have it all covered for you on this historic

night, beginning with senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett. Laura, a truly historic day in court. Indeed, Lester, one simple word, guilty, repeated over and over and over and over. 34 times those simple words, something that happens every day in courtrooms across America. But this time was different. This time about the current presumptive GOP nominee, a former American president, something we've never seen before. Those ladies and gentlemen of the jury, 12 members from everyday walks of life in New York City.

We had a salesman, the foreman. We had two lawyers. We had someone who was a physical therapist, a salesman, the foreman. We had two lawyers. We had someone who was a physical therapist, a speech therapist. All walks of life coming together for a unanimous verdict today, Lester. This all occurred when we thought that the jury was about to retire for the evening and come back tomorrow. The court very much caught off guard, it appeared. Lester, it had because we were really not certain that we would see

a verdict at all. The judge obviously wanted to accommodate that schedule and to do as much as they could. Here's our story. LISA DESJARDINS, Tonight, former President Donald Trump found guilty, convicted by a Manhattan jury of all charges, now the first American president ever convicted of a crime. Jurors finding Mr. Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying his business records to cover up a conspiracy to influence the 2016 election by hiding how he reimbursed

his former fixer for paying off a porn star before the election. The Manhattan jury of seven men and five women included two lawyers, two in finance and the foreman in sales, and reached their decision after two days of deliberations, after hearing from more than 20 witnesses over six weeks. The prosecution's case largely came down to whether jurors would believe the word of Michael Cohen, Mr. Trump's former attorney and self-described fixer. Cohen was the only witness who directly tied Mr. Trump to the alleged crime of

falsifying business records. He testified Mr. Trump directed him to pay off Stormy Daniels so she couldn't derail his campaign. She'd alleged a sexual encounter years before, but Mr. Trump vehemently denied it. Prosecutors argued at trial the former president was desperate to keep her silent, panicked after the release of the Access Hollywood tape, and then covered it all up, approving a scheme to disguise the $130,000 payoff with a phony paper trail through invoices, vouchers and checks. Cohen's credibility in this case was key. The defense team branding the now-disbarred lawyer who'd been convicted of lying under oath as the MVP of liars with an ax to grind against Mr. Trump, while prosecutors argued Mr. Trump chose Mr. Cohen for the same

qualities that his attorneys now urge you to reject his testimony. Mr. Trump, who didn't testify, reacting to the verdict tonight, attacking the case as politically motivated by a Democratic D. Democratic DA in deep blue Manhattan. REP. JOHN BARRASSO, There's a rigged trial, a disgrace. They wouldn't give us a venue change. We were at 5 percent or 6 percent in this district, in this area. This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be November 5th by the people, and they know what

happened. Outside of court, boos and cheers. Late today, District Attorney Alvin Bragg reacting to the verdict. We arrived at this trial, and ultimately today at this verdict, in the same manner as every other case that comes to the courtroom doors, by following the facts and the law. All right, Laura, we heard quite a reaction, I recall, when you were reading that verdict from the crowd. But what happens next in terms of sentencing? Lester, now this case will proceed to sentencing.

Both sides will have an opportunity to tell Judge Mershon what they think is an appropriate sentence. He faces anywhere from just probation to up to four years in prison, maximum on that. It's completely within the judge's discretion. And he will do that sentencing right here on July 11th. Lester. All right, Laura Jarrett leading us off with the breaking news and NBC's Peter Alexander has been following it all from Washington. Peter, any reaction from the White House or the Biden campaign tonight? Yeah, Lester, to be clear, we don't expect to hear from President Biden about Mr. Trump's conviction tonight. He is in Delaware with his family on this, the anniversary of his son Beau's death. The Biden campaign, though, they did put out a statement

saying the conviction shows, quote, no one is above the law. It adds there is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president. A White House spokesperson we should note simply saying we respect the rule of law. The White House in the campaign largely steered clear of commenting on the trial, but amid frustrations that wall-to-wall coverage made it harder to break through with its message, just this week, the Biden campaign deployed Robert De Niro and two of the police officers who were attacked at the Capitol on January 6th to speak at the courthouse. De Niro, we saw, trading insults with Trump supporters there.

And late tonight, Lester, a Democratic strategist who's familiar with the campaign's thinking tells us, in their view, a conviction is better than an acquittal. But they say it will not be a central message for the Biden campaign. Notably, they immediately started fundraising off it. Ultimately, they say President Biden needs to convince Americans that Mr. Trump's chaos and lawlessness, in their words, is bad for Americans' lives, not just for Mr. Trump's. The bottom line, though, Lester, aides have privately acknowledged that they do not believe that a verdict either way would dramatically change this race. Lester. All right. Peter Alexander in our Washington newsroom. Let's bring in Hallie Jackson now. Hallie's with me. How big is the impact on this historic verdict?

It is historic. It is unprecedented, Lester. And for that reason, it is not super clear how this is going to play out in a general election campaign. We know a couple of things here, that there are potential risks for Mr. Trump based on some of the numbers that we've seen prior to tonight's verdict and prior to tonight's conviction, that about two thirds of Americans suggest a conviction really wouldn't change their vote one way or the other. But anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of independents say that a conviction would make them less likely to vote for Donald Trump. That's important because this race is very close. It is going to come down to very close margins. So a slice of independence going one way or the other could make a difference. I emphasize the word could because in the past, in the primary, we

know that the former president has rallied his base around him as it related to these legal issues. He fundraised off of them. The question has always been, the X factor has always been, does that hold in a general election where there is a very different electorate that he would have to appeal to, Lester? And there will be an impact certainly on the Biden campaign. Yeah. I mean, listen, Peter laid it out, right? The idea that the campaign seems to be taking the long view here, and that is reflected from what one senior campaign official told me prior to this verdict coming down. We know that the biggest issues for people, they say again and again, it's not legal drama. It's the economy. It's immigration. It's inflation. And it's the border. We hear that again and again. So if that is, in fact, what drives people to the polls come

November, there is a question mark for how this race goes. Obviously, it is very close. The polls consistently show that in key swing states, President Biden trails, although it is very close within the margin of error there. You're already seeing, however, the way that the former president is trying to turn this case into a rallying cry. He appeared outside raising his fist in this moment. I wouldn't call it triumphant, but I would call it significant for him. He is already releasing a fundraising image similarly with his fist in the air in that way, hoping to get out his base when it comes to November, Lester. All right, Pally Jackson, thank you. NBC's Dasha Burns is outside the courthouse in Lower Manhattan.

Dasha, what's the reaction been? Tell us about the scene outside the court that played out today. Well, Lester, ever since we heard news that a verdict would be coming, we've seen people of all stripes filing in and out of this public park that is across the street from the courthouse where people can exercise their First Amendment rights. They can come here to demonstrate whether they're for Trump, against Trump or whatever message they want to give. Now, today, a large police presence here, much larger than anything that we've seen

just to make sure that all of these protests, all of these conversations are peaceful. I will tell you, once we heard the verdict, once the public was aware of what this jury decided, there were boos and there were cheers. People on all sides of this issue in this park here today. I'll tell you, Lester, what's been really fascinating to watch is members of the public simply getting together and having it out, having debates. We're actually witnessing that right now. You see someone in a Donald Trump hat, a red hat, speaking with people who are not supporters of the former president. Things have gotten heated, but have mostly stayed peaceful here as people take in this moment right outside of

the courthouse here, Lester. All right. Dasha Burns in Manhattan. Thank you. And back with me now is Laura Jarrett and also joining us is our NBC News legal analyst, Danny Savalas. And Danny, let me bring you in here real quick and, you know, talk about what the team will most certainly appeal. How will that appeal process look like for Mr. Trump? As is usual in most jurisdictions, he will have 30 days from the date of sentence, not 30 days from today, 30 days from the imposition of the sentence in which to appeal. He surely will. Then it will go to the appellate division, which is the intermediate appellate court in New York. And then they will set a briefing schedule that will take months, if not years. That's a long process.

Laura, let me turn to you for a moment. This was just one of four different criminal cases we've been watching against the former president. Talk through where the other cases stand, if we'll likely see another trial before the election. Lester, it's only one of four, but it may be the only one to see completion before the November election. The others have been bogged down in appeals and delayed.

Perhaps the most serious, the one about trying to overturn the last election, that federal case in Washington, D.C., still up on appeal, with the Supreme Court trying to decide if the former president is immune from prosecution at all. We also have the other case about trying to overturn the last election in Georgia. That one's on appeal because the district attorney there is being challenged on ethical grounds. And then, of course, we have the one about the former president trying to hoard classified documents in his Mar-a-Lago estate after he was no longer president. That one, you know, an indefinite hold there, Lester, because of a ruling from the judge. So really, realistically, this one in lower Manhattan, a state case,

may be the only one before the November election, Lester. Yeah. Let me turn back to Danny. This case, this conviction is uncharted territory, as you've all been saying. How do you move a former president through the justice system, as you described it? Differently, to put it briefly, Lester. The Secret Service has already issued a statement, apparently, saying that they will deal with this as they will deal with it. And the bottom line is, what do you do with a person who, if you incarcerate him, has to be accompanied by Secret Service detail? The answer is we don't know because it's never happened before. Now, you also talk about the appeal system. What are the grounds for appeal?

Most likely, we will see an attack on the statute itself. Not necessarily what Justice Mershon did with the statute, but whether the statute might be unconstitutionally vague. If it's just not clear enough what conduct is proscribed or what is allowed, you'll probably see appeal on the grounds of jury instructions. If for no other reason, then that's the most common best chance for success ground for appeal in most criminal cases. And then thirdly, you're likely to see an appeal based on the Stormy Daniels testimony. That's a factual issue. Justice Mershon himself expressed, I would say, surprise that it went into that area, suggesting that the defense should have objected more. The problem is that generally speaking, if the defense didn't object to testimony as it was coming in, they may have waived their

opportunity to raise that as a ground on appeal. Lester, the general rule is when you're making a record at the trial court level, it's use it or lose it. You must enter an objection onto the record generally to preserve that issue adequately for appeal. I think it's fair to say a lot of us were surprised the verdict came as quickly as it did. They did deliberate for over nine hours. How would you characterize it versus a typical prosecution? In my view, I expected the jury deliberations to go on at least until Friday. And then a safe guess was the jury would probably come back before the end of Friday. So maybe they were a day earlier. And you're right. Nine hours is a lot if you're sitting and intensively working on the case. But in a case of this complexity, in relatively speaking,

it was probably a short deliberation. All right, Danny, thanks very much. Joining us now from lower Manhattan is Tom Witter. And Tom, talk, if you can, about the remarkable security implications for Mr. Trump and keeping a former president safe through all this as he goes through the legal process. Well, that's exactly right, Lester. There have been enormous security implications because of this trial. You've seen some of the apparatus behind me over the last couple of weeks. We saw it just in the last several hours or so as we saw the president head up the highway here in New York City. He'll maintain that Secret Service detail, as Danny alluded to tonight in a statement to NBC News. The Secret Service says we're going

to continue our mission. Their words, they say that they're going to continue, obviously, with Trump. He's a former president, so he'll get protected status as a result of that. He's the presumptive Republican nominee. And after the convention, his security profile will only increase from there, added with the potential complication if he was to be sentenced to jail. If that was to happen at Rikers Island, a spokesperson telling NBC News that they will find the, quote, appropriate housing for him there, you could be in a situation potentially where the former president is in a jail cell in one of this country's most famous jail facilities off the runways of LaGuardia Airport, sitting in there with secret service. How this will all play out, well, time will tell, Lester. But for now, he will maintain,

even though he's been found guilty, that secret service protection. Tom Winter, Tom, thank you. In 60 seconds, presidential historian Michael Bachelos on this moment and what lessons from our past apply as the country moves forward. We're back now, and as we noted, this is the first time a former president has been convicted of a crime. NBC News presidential historian Michael Beschloss joins us now. Michael, how do you begin to put this moment into context? Well, this is almost surreal, Lester. We'll all remember where we were when we got this news today.

And that's because, as you've been saying, first time anyone who's been president has been convicted of criminal conduct. And also someone who, you know, six weeks from this day, just about, Donald Trump is likely to be nominated by the Republicans as their presidential candidate. It's going to be divisive. A lot of people will be angry. Fifty years ago this summer, the Supreme Court told President Richard Nixon he had to give up his secret tapes. They showed that he was probably guilty of a number of criminal offenses. Gerald Ford pardoned him, but Gerald Ford, the new president, respected the rule of law. He didn't say the system was rigged. What Gerald Ford pardoned him, but Gerald Ford, the new president, respected the rule of law. He didn't say the system was rigged.

What Gerald Ford said in his inaugural address was, this is a system that shows that this is a government of laws and not of human beings. The people rule. This, obviously, Michael, is not an isolation. This is occurring during a historically difficult time in terms of division in this country. Is there a historical analogy about how the country might move forward from this moment? Well, for more than two centuries, we've had a lot of very controversial legal verdicts before the Civil War, at the time of the Cold War. You know, you and I could list them for

the next three hours. But the point is that here we are still standing. We're still a republic. The DNA of America is to respect the rule of law, even if we disagree with it. There can be peaceful protest, a defendant, a guilty party can appeal. But in the end, we always respect the rule of law. That's the essence of our country. All right. Appreciate your perspective as always, Michael.

Thank you. Still to come, more coverage on this historic day in court, plus the brazen midday machete attack in Times Square. What we know, plus the other breaking verdict Chad Daybell found guilty in the doomsday killing case. Back now with breaking news and the high profile murder case of so-called doomsday author Chad Daybell. Today, an Idaho jury found Daybell guilty on all counts for the 2019 murders of his first wife and then his girlfriend's two children. The triple murder case included details

about the couple's affair and beliefs about the apocalypse. Lori Vallow Daybell, the children's mother, was sentenced to life in prison for the murders last year. And here in New York, police say three people are in custody after a man was attacked with a machete in Times Square. Police say the victim was stabbed in both legs. He was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive. When we come back, history in the making. What Manhattan's DA just said live from the courthouse in Lower Manhattan. Finally tonight, as we mark this moment, let's go back to senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett.

Laura, you were inside the courtroom. Take us through your experience watching all this unfold. Yes, Lester, more than 22 days. It's really a surreal experience from the very first day that I walked onto that 15th floor courtroom in front of Judge Mershon. We've all covered high profile criminal trials. This was different. This is the former president of the United States, the current presumptive GOP nominee, facing 12 everyday New Yorkers told not to be biased while he's currently running for office. It's an experience that I am not likely to forget any time soon, likely the country not

to forget any time soon, likely change from this moment forward. And it's been a privilege, Lester, to cover it with you. Well, we appreciate you and your team's work. That is nightly news for this Thursday. Thank you for watching. I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.