NEW YORK (AP) Donald Trump s lawyer told The Associated Press he was surprised at Trumps stoic demeanor as he listened to the verdict that made him the first former U.S. president convicted of a crime. Todd Blanche was sitting to Trumps left in the Manhattan courtroom as the verdict was read the jury foreman repeating the word guilty 34 times.

I was shocked at how he took the verdict, Blanche said. He just stood there and just kind of took it. And I think had a lot of appropriate solemnness for the moment that made me very proud to be sitting next to him when it, when it was happening, said Blanche, adding that he thought Trump was still handling himself well on Friday, the day after the verdict, even as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee railed that the trial was unfair.

Hes not happy about it, but theres no defendant in the history of our justice system whos happy about a conviction the day after. But I think he knows theres a lot of fight left and theres a lot of opportunity to fix this and thats what were going to try to do, said Blanche, Trumps lead attorney in the New York case and his classified documents federal criminal case in Florida.

A jury of a dozen New Yorkers convicted Trump on all counts of falsifying business records, a felony punishable by either incarceration, probation or a fine. As the foreman read the verdict, Trump shook his head slightly, but didnt vent his frustration until he left the courtroom. Trump has vowed to appeal.

Speaking to reporters Friday, Trump portrayed himself as a victim of a rigged trial, which he claimed was orchestrated by Democrats to stop his presidential campaign. Afterward, President Joe Biden said it was reckless, dangerous and irresponsible for anyone to say this is rigged just because they dont like the verdict.

Blanche pushed back on Bidens comments, saying it was natural for Trump to believe the law was being used unfairly against him. He cited the three other criminal cases pending against Trump: two cases in Georgia and Washington where he is accused of trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election and the one in Florida, where he is charged with illegally possessing classified records after he left the White House.

I believe in the justice system, and I always will. And I dont think that that one case should change anybodys view, said Blanche, a former federal prosecutor who left his job at an elite law firm to represent Trump. But if you were Donald J. Trump and you have four indictments ... you dont think you would say you thought it was rigged? OK.

I think its easy to say, Oh, thats dangerous. Just keep on showing up at your four indicted cases, sir. Stop saying its rigged. You know. Nothing to see here. Totally normal. I dont think its dangerous. I think it makes the system better, Blanche said.

The jury reached its verdict around 4:20 p.m. on Thursday, just as it appeared deliberations were going to be stretching into a third day. Just a few minutes earlier, Judge Juan M. Merchan had returned to the courtroom to announce that, in lieu of a decision, hed be sending jurors home for the evening at 4:30 p.m.

Im a trial attorney and Ive had a lot of trials and I had a lot of verdicts. And this one was by far the most kind of surprising in the timing of it, Blanche said. We were all ready to go home. I think it was pretty clear that they were going to keep on working. There hadnt been any notes. The first note was a pretty complicated one about testimony, and then asking to have the charge read back to them. So thats a jury thats kind of in it for the long haul.

Blanche and Trump were having a pleasant conversation as they sat at the defense table waiting out what they thought were the last few minutes of the court day.

We were kind of getting our minds right, Blanche said. Having a jury deliberate is stressful for everybody involved, but for sure for President Trump. And so were trying to get his mind right, that everything was proceeding like it should. And then the judge said we have a verdict.

Asked about his handling of the case, Blanche said the defense team had done its best.

On Trumps decision not to testify, Blanche said that decision ultimately fell to the former president.

He definitely wanted to testify, Blanche said. But he said they knew that prosecutors were going to be able to cross examine Trump on areas that are very complicated, because they are the subject of legal appeals.

There would have been a lot of sideshows if he were to testify that would have, I think, made it a challenge for him, Blanche said. He was elected president and hes running again, and so he obviously connects with people and connects with voters, and I think certainly can connect with a jury as well. But it wasnt quite as simple as that in reaching that decision.

Among the things Trump could have been asked about by prosecutors were a $455 million judgment pending against him in a fraud lawsuit brought by New Yorks attorney general and other judgments against him in lawsuits brought by E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of sexual assault.