On May 30, 2024, during the criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump in the New York State Supreme Court, the jury found him guilty of all 34 felonies and then left the court.
Justin Lane | via Reuters
A judge on Friday rejected his request to dismiss the New York criminal hush-money case against President-elect Donald Trump and set Trump’s sentencing for Jan. 10, less than 10 days before he is sworn in for a second term. Two weeks.
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan also said in a written order that he was not inclined to sentence Trump to prison in the case and may impose an unconditional release sentence. This means the president-elect will not be subject to probation or fines.
Merchant also said Trump could choose to appear in person or virtually for next week’s sentencing.
Trump was convicted in a trial last year of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with his then-personal attorney Michael Cohen’s alleged solicitation of porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Daniels paid $130,000 in hush money.
“While from a legal perspective this court may not make any decision on sentencing without giving the parties and defendants an opportunity to be heard, At this juncture, it seems appropriate to indicate that the Court prefers not to impose any custodial sentence, which was sanctioned by the conviction but which the People acknowledge they no longer consider to be a practical recommendation,” Merchian wrote on Friday.
The judge also wrote that “a sentence of unconditional discharge appears to be the most feasible solution to ensure finality and allow the defendant to pursue appeal options.”
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