New York judge delays Trump sentencing until after presidential election News
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New York judge delays Trump sentencing until after presidential election

New York Judge Juan Merchan on Friday delayed former US president Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money criminal case to November 26, with the new date scheduled three weeks after the US presidential election. Trump’s attorneys requested the postponement in August to prepare a potential appeal and avoid a “politically prejudicial” effect on the election. The prosecution decided not to oppose Trump’s request back in August.

Although Merchan disregarded a number of what he called “perceived and unsubstantiated grievances” from Trump’s defense team, the judge acknowledged the former September 18 sentencing date’s proximity to the November 5 election as part of his rescheduling rationale, as a short sentencing delay would place the new date “within approximately 41 days” of the election.

Merchan acknowledged, “The matter is one that stands alone, in a unique place in this Nation’s history.” He added:

The Court is a fair, impartial, and apolitical institution. Adjourning decision on the motion and sentencing … should dispel any suggestion that the Court will have issued any decision or imposed sentence either to give an advantage to, or create a disadvantage for, any political party and/or candidate for office.

The court is also scheduled to rule on Trump’s motion to set aside the jury’s guilty verdict on November 12. Trump’s move is based on the US Supreme Court’s recent ruling that presidents enjoy broad immunity when engaging in official acts. However, a federal judge disagreed earlier this week that the guilty verdict violated the newly established presidential immunity doctrine.

Trump was convicted in the hush money case on May 30. The jury found Trump falsified business records to conceal payments made on his behalf by former attorney Michael Cohen to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

The former president also faces three other criminal cases. Trump was indicted in June 2023 over the alleged illegal retention of classified documents following his exit from office. However, US Special Prosecutor Jack Smith is currently appealing a federal judge’s July decision to dismiss the indictment on constitutional grounds. Trump also faces federal charges that he illegally interfered in the 2020 presidential election. Smith filed a revised indictment of Trump in August to dodge constitutionality concerns following the US Supreme Court’s presidential immunity decision, accusing the former president of election interference as a private citizen and political candidate. Similarly, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis secured an indictment of Trump in August 2023 over the former president’s alleged interference in Georgia’s presidential vote.

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