Donald Trump’s sentencing in the Manhattan hush money case has been postponed until after the upcoming November election.
On Friday, Judge Juan Merchan rescheduled the sentencing to 26 November, citing “the unique time frame this matter currently finds itself in” as one of the reasons.
Trump’s legal team, representing the Republican presidential candidate, has employed several strategies to delay the sentencing, originally set for 18 September.
Recall that in May, Trump was found guilty by a New York jury on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, marking the first time a sitting or former U.S. president has been convicted of a crime.
Judge Merchan stated that the sentencing should solely focus on the jury’s decision.
He emphasized the need to respect the verdict without being overshadowed by the significance of the presidential election. As a result, sentencing will take place three weeks after the 5 November election.
Trump potentially faces up to four years in prison, although the judge has the discretion to impose alternative penalties, such as a fine, probation, or a brief jail term.
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Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing, telling Fox News that the case “should be dead” and his campaign labelling the situation a “witch hunt.”
Prosecutors argue that Trump orchestrated a scheme to conceal a payment made to Stormy Daniels, a former adult film actress, in the lead-up to the 2016 election.
Daniels testified about a sexual encounter with Trump and confirmed receiving $130,000 from Trump’s then-lawyer in exchange for her silence.
The prosecution contends that Trump broke election law by misrepresenting the hush money as legal expenses.
Initially, Trump’s sentencing was set for July. Still, his defence team sought a delay following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that granted presidents some immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts.
Judge Merchan granted a postponement to allow the parties time to address the ruling’s impact on the case. A further decision is due on 12 November.
Although the judge dismissed several of Trump’s arguments for additional delays, he noted that such hearings are often postponed for reasons such as personal circumstances or scheduling conflicts. He made it clear that this case would not receive special treatment because of the defendant’s high-profile status.
He emphasized that the court’s decision should not be viewed as favouring any political party or candidate.
A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the case, stated that the prosecution is prepared for sentencing on the new date.
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