A legal professor is speculating on Donald Trump's fate, suggesting that the hush money trial may see the Republican frontrunner get 'convicted' of a crime - but adding that Trump will likely see 'no jail time.'
Kevin C. McMunigal, JD, formerly an Assistant United States Attorney in California and now a law professor at Case Western Reserve University, told the Mirror: "I think the case against Trump is very strong and that there is a very good chance he will be convicted."
"In terms of consequences, I think there is almost no chance of him receiving a jail sentence given (1) his age, (2) the fact that he has no prior convictions, and (3) that the offenses in the case are nonviolent and don't appear to have caused any harm," Professor McMunigal added.
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Trump lamented to cameras after exiting the courthouse about having to be there (Getty Images)Trump is facing 34 charges of falsifying records, which carry a maximum sentence of 15 months to four years in prison. However, most people convicted of this charge spend less than a year in prison.
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Professor Johnathan L. Entin, also a law professor at Case Western Reserve University, told the Mirror that while he "can't confidently say what the odds are that Trump will be convicted," it's likely Trump will continue to claim he's a victim of a Democratic campaign to stop his political career.
Groups hoping for Trump's conviction showed up to the Manhattan courthouse (ZUMAPRESS.com / Avalon)"He [Trump] will probably continue to claim that this is evidence of a deep-state effort to prevent him from becoming president again. He will continue to claim that the Manhattan prosecutor is working in league with New York Attorney General Letitia James and that the trial judge was biased against him. These are themes that he has been emphasizing for many months now," said Entin, who also doesn't see jail in Trump's future.
Entin, though, believes that even a conviction wouldn't bar Trump from election success: "A conviction will not prevent Trump from getting the Republican presidential nomination or from appearing on the ballot all over the country."
On the other side, Trump fans came to demonstrate in support of the former President (ZUMAPRESS.com / Avalon)The professor cited a historical instance to support his view: "We do have some precedent for having a presidential candidate on the ballot while serving a prison sentence. In 1920, Eugene Debs was the Socialist Party's presidential candidate. At the time, he was in a federal prison as a result of his conviction for making a speech in 1918 that strongly criticized American involvement in World War I."
"Debs was imprisoned during the presidential campaign. Nobody questioned his eligibility for the presidency or his ability to serve if elected (although nobody expected that he would win)," Entin noted.
Donald Trump speaks to the press as he attends the second day of his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Both experts agreed that Trump's lawyer's trial strategy will likely include "going after the credibility, character, and motivations of prosecution witnesses such as Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels," added McMunigal.
Entin predicted that the prosecution "will rely heavily on Michael Cohen, whom they will attack as an admitted liar (who pleaded guilty to making false statements, tax evasion, and other federal crimes, and who served time in prison)."
These legal scholars' opinions may dash the hopes of some in the country who hope to see Donald Trump in prison, turning those desires into very real fears - as a Trump win in the 2024 election will likely mean the wealthy heir will pardon himself or at least hide his legal woes behind his office.
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