A New York judge is expected to sentence former President Donald Trump on Friday for allegedly falsifying business records to conceal a “hush money” payment to an adult film star.
Trump has Delay in punishment was sought twice after being convicted by a unanimous jury in May 34 serious charges of falsifying business records,
He was originally scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, but Justice Juan Merchan postponed that date to September 18 after Trump asked the judge to vacate his sentence. Trump cited a Supreme Court ruling that former presidents have immunity for “official acts,” and that evidence related to the president’s work cannot be excluded in criminal trials.
Marchen has said he will rule on Trump’s request to toss out the jury’s verdict two days before the scheduled sentencing on September 16.
In August, Trump asked that his sentencing date be pushed back even further โ until after the presidential election. Trump’s lawyers said a further postponement would give his team time to appeal if Marchen rejects their request to commute the sentence.
While waiting for Marchen’s decision, Trump took another route to delay the sentencing. He asked a federal judge to take over the case, claiming it was a matter for federal court. The federal judge said the matter belonged in federal court. That request was denied on Wednesday.And Trump appealed.
On Thursday, a lawyer for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg informed the appeals court that Merchan would announce his sentencing decision tomorrow.
“The judge has now informed the parties that a decision will be rendered tomorrow,” Bragg’s attorney wrote.
Prosecutors said Trump signed off on a scheme to hide reimbursements to a lawyer who paid $130,000 โhush moneyโ to adult film star Stormy Daniels just days before the 2016 presidential election. Trump denies the encounter and maintains his innocence.
Merchan has a lot of leeway in deciding Trump’s sentence. The charges carry a maximum sentence of four years in prison, but this is Trump’s first conviction, so Merchan could hand down a sentence that includes a variety of options other than incarceration, including probation.
