The conviction of Donald Trump: a gasp, a grimace and then ‘guilty’

“We the jury have a verdict.” There was an audible gasp as Judge Juan Merchan read out the jury’s handwritten note in his courtroom, where most expected him to signal the end of a second day of deliberations before sending everyone home.

Merchan’s voice trembled as he re-read it, adding that the panel had requested a further 30 minutes to fill in the verdict paperwork.

Trump and his lawyer began talking animatedly, the chief of the courts police swept in, heads swivelled among the press and the public.

“Please let there be no outbursts, no reactions of any kind,” said the judge before exiting the court himself.

For half an hour, noisy typing echoed off the gum-speckled wooden benches as reporters from across the globe sent updates.