Trump lawyer says he 'expected' guilty verdict as he argues for lesser sentence

“We're going to appeal and we're going to win on appeal. That's the goal,” Trump lawyer Todd Blanche said during a May 31 appearance on the “Today” show.

• Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records on Thursday, May 30.

• The former president's lead defense attorney, Todd Blanche, said they “expected” a guilty verdict.

• “We're going to appeal and we're going to win on appeal,” Blanche told Savannah Guthrie. Today

Donald Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanche, said he “expected” the former president to be convicted.

On Thursday, May 30, Trump, 77, was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records, more than a year after the Manhattan indictment was revealed.

During an appearance on the Today On the Friday, May 31 show, Trump's lead defense attorney Blanche outlined her plans to appeal while speaking with co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, 52.

Asked if he was “surprised” by the verdict – which was determined by the jury after two days of deliberations – Blanche replied: “Surprised is probably not the right word.” I mean, that's what juries do. Juries can decide something in five minutes. or five days, and we don't know what motivated their decision and why they made that decision. But it was a verdict we expected.”

“We're going to appeal and we're going to win on appeal. That's the goal. The goal is that this is a step in the process of our justice system and the goal is to appeal quickly and , we hope, to win our case quickly.” continued the lawyer.

Related: Robert De Niro, Jan. 6 First Responders Speak Outside Courthouse as Trump Trial Ends: 'A Clown'

Trump's sentencing is scheduled for July 11 in New York at 10 a.m. local time, four days before the start of the Republican National Convention, during which the party officially nominates its choice for president of the United States .

Addressing whether he thought Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg would seek prison time, Blanche added: “I don't know what District Attorney Bragg is going to do before sentencing in July. I hope not. “

Insisting that prison should not be an option, Blanche continued: “Under the court's guidelines and rules of what would normally happen, President Trump would not face a day in prison. Aside from the fact that he was President of the United States. , the conduct we are talking about is 7, 8 years, 9 years. He is a grandfather, a husband, a father. He shouldn't go to jail. I don't know what the prosecutor is going to do. “

As Guthrie mentioned, a Class E, the lowest level of crime involving “someone with no criminal record and close to 80 years of age,” is not the “typical case where someone goes to prison.” .

Speaking on the grounds of her appeal, Blanche said: “I think the question of recusal is significant. I think the statute of limitations, the manner in which this — the context in which this case was brought — is significant. I think the witnesses…I do. I don't think Michael Cohen should be someone who should be relied on to convict someone. »

Related: Nikki Haley Says She'll Vote for Donald Trump in November, But She Has Some Advice for Her Campaign

Blanche, who first joined Trump's defense team in April 2023, is now expected to travel to Florida to work on another case.

Speaking to Guthrie about his expectations for the trial before Election Day, the attorney said, “I have no expectations. You're right, we're going to be in Florida next week with my team. three-day hearing next month. There’s a lot of work to do and we’ll see.”

Trump spent more than six weeks in a Manhattan courtroom before a guilty verdict was handed down in his historic criminal trial.

As previously reported by PEOPLE, Trump and his team, who were smiling moments before the jury announced they had reached a conclusion, suddenly became serious at the news, according to several reporters in the room.

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Many had prepared for a hung jury – which happens if jurors cannot unanimously agree on a verdict – an outcome that would have seen a mistrial and charges filed by the former president in limbo.

With Trump's claims of a baseless criminal case dismissed, he now faces up to four years in prison. However, as a first offender for a non-violent offense with special security needs, he will likely receive a lesser sentence.

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