1st day of jury deliberations in Trump hush money trial ends without verdict

By Darren Lyn

HOUSTON, US (AA) - The first day of jury deliberations in Donald Trump's hush money trial in New York City ended Wednesday without a verdict.

Jurors met for nearly five hours, taking meticulous directions from Judge Juan Merchan about exactly what they need to do to determine whether the former US president is guilty of 34 criminal charges, according to media outlets.

"Jurors, you will recall that during jury selection you agreed that you must set aside any opinions or bias you have in favor of or against the defendant and if you decide this case against the evidence and the law," said Merchan. "You must set aside any opinions and bias and you must not allow any opinion or bias to influence your verdict."

Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records relating to a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016 to conceal her alleged extramarital affair with the former president.

Prosecutors said the itemized business transaction illegally disguised what is called a "catch and kill" scheme with the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper to keep negative stories about Trump from being published before the 2016 presidential election. Trump's former attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, made the six-figure payment to Daniels and was reimbursed by his boss with the transaction being listed as a business expense.

"It is not my responsibility to judge the evidence here. It is yours." Merchan told the jury. "You and you alone are the judges of the facts, and you and you alone are responsible for deciding whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty."

Merchan reminded the 12-member jury panel that Trump was presumed innocent unless, after reviewing the evidence, they have "proven the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."

"The burden of proof never shifts from the people to the defendant," said Merchan. "If the people fail to satisfy their burden of proof, you must find the defendant not guilty. And if the people satisfy their burden of proof, you must find the defendant guilty."

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Jurors are scheduled to resume day two of deliberations Thursday morning.