'Proof that he’s guilty': Trump trolled for assuming 'my juror' would hang Manhattan hush money trial verdict for him

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: On Thursday, May 30, former President Donald Trump was unanimously found guilty by a New York jury on 34 counts of felony relating to the hush money payments made to adult film star, Stormy Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 US general election.

Despite his criticism of the criminal trial process, the 77-year-old confided in his advisers that he thought one juror in his Manhattan hush money trial would side with him, according to Raw Story.

Rolling Stone reported on Thursday that Trump's hope that one specific juror, whom he referred to as "my juror," would eventually rescue him was not realized.

What was Donald Trump thinking pinning his hopes on one juror on a bench of 12?

According to reporters Adam Rawnsley and Asawin Suebsaeng, Trump was focused on a particular male juror whose body language he saw as more favorable than the others.

"Body language from the juror throughout the trial, studied closed by the former president’s counselors, led some to believe that the juror was warming to the defense’s views," Rawlings and Suebsaeng wrote. "The warm smiles and tics, they hoped, suggested that there could be a hung jury that would help Trump evade conviction."

It was not immediately evident which juror Trump’s team was focused on.

It is possible that their attention was directed towards juror #2, an investment banker who disclosed during the preliminary examination process that Truth Social, the far-right social media platform associated with the former president, was his primary source of news.

Alternatively, their focus could have been on juror #8, a retired wealth manager from the Upper East Side, originally from Long Island, a region known for its conservative leanings compared to the wider New York City metro area.

Nevertheless, as the jury deliberations commenced, Trump and his team purportedly began to lose optimism.

One Trump adviser shared with Rolling Stone that "I think the juror is going to get beat up in the jury room," and they were anxious about "how strong" the juror's resolve would be around the other 11 members of the body.

The possibility of an acquittal on all 34 counts was deemed improbable, given Trump's lack of success in any civil or criminal court proceedings in New York.

The defense aimed to sway one or more jurors to refuse to concur with a guilty verdict, resulting in a hung jury.

This strategy would effectively delay any potential retrial for the former president until after the election, or indefinitely.

However, after the jury reached its unanimous verdict on Thursday evening, another Trump adviser told Rawling and Suebsaeng that "the 'Trump juror' wasn't Trumpy enough, I guess!"

Judge Juan Merchan has set the date for the sentencing hearing of former President Donald Trump on July 11 at 10 am.

This timing precedes the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by less than a week.

Despite the potential for a four-year prison sentence, Trump, being a first-time offender may not face incarceration due to the class E felony convictions.

However, former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann noted Trump's "complete lack of remorse" for repeatedly violating Merchan's gag order.

Weissmann suggested that Trump's behavior during the trial and his failure to acknowledge culpability post-verdict may influence Merchan's decision to incarcerate him.

Donald Trump blasted for assuming 'my juror' would hang hush money trial verdict

One X user remarked, ""His juror" voted to convict."

Another user wrote, "Desperation is a stinky cologne."

Another user said, "Even further proof that he’s actually guilty."

One X user claimed, "Maybe if he stayed awake and was charming to them and made himself likeable maybe things would’ve worked in his favour."

Another user quipped, "They wanted to but didn’t because they asked themselves “could he be any more guilty?” And the answer was no."

A user tweeted, "The one who got news from Truth Social was obviously wise enough to realize he hadn't gotten GOOD information there. They all did their duty and paid attention to evidence. More power to them, whatever their political leanings."

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