WE have, in this space, in a manner of speaking, waded into the ever-deepening uncharted waters of US politics, with all Jamaica and the rest of the world following the almost inconceivable journey as the first former American president became a convicted felon.

It is a story that is unthinkable, worse because Mr Donald Trump, now deemed a criminal by a Manhattan, New York court, is on the verge of being declared the Republican presidential candidate to face President Joe Biden on November 5, 2024.

It is also a moment in history for which there is no crystal ball to predict how the story will end.

The one thing we can be certain of is that only a famous ending can satisfy such an epic drama — one that will change America forever.

Last Thursday, in Judge Juan Merchan’s court, a jury of 12, after two days of deliberations, pronounced Mr Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide a sexual affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels from voters and corrupt the 2016 election.

“The criminal justice system finally caught up to Donald Trump,” the respected New York Times newspaper wrote.

“He has spent decades on the edge of legal trouble. First, he was a New York businessman whose company violated discrimination laws, failed to repay debts, and flirted with bankruptcy.

“Then, he was a president who impeded an investigation of his 2016 campaign, tried to overturn the result of his re-election defeat, and refused to return classified documents he took from the White House,” the paper said.

Mr Trump has indicated he will appeal the verdict, if necessary all the way to the Supreme Court where six of its nine judges were nominated by a Republican president.

There are three other criminal cases pending in Washington, DC; Florida; and Georgia, but those are not expected to come to a conclusion prior to the November elections, after which, if Mr Trump wins, he could find a way to dispense with.

As expected, the Manhattan verdict has been met with outrage by Republican leaders, who argue that it was a sham trial meant to impede Mr Trump from winning a second term as president, and vowed to do everything to undo the court’s ruling, possibly rising to the Supreme Court.

The next big piece of the puzzle is whether Mr Trump will serve jail time for the so-called hush money case, and whether the latest developments will harm or help his chances at victory in the election.

His sentencing has been set for July 11, 2024.

Judge Merchan has the option of sentencing Mr Trump to probation. Before sentencing he will sit with a psychologist or a social worker to explain why he deserves a light punishment. He will not be able to leave New York or the US without permission — all things no one could foresee of a US president, the most powerful leader on Earth.

The biggest unknown is how this drama will play out in respect of the survival of the US justice system as we know it. Democrats and Republicans who oppose Mr Trump are arguing that the verdict was fair and no one is above the law. His supporters reject the verdict out of hand.

Our readers will have clearly discerned that we do not take sides in American politics. We have a vested interest in the well-being of our largest trading partner and the second most popular home of choice for Jamaicans.