The announcement of the verdict in the hush money case against newly elected US President Donald Trump has been postponed indefinitely.
A possible date for the sentence, which is actually scheduled for next Tuesday, can only now be announced after the new deadlines for the parties’ requests have passed. Judge Juan Merchan in New York determined this in early December, according to court documents.
Trump’s lawyers want to see the verdict overturned – the judge gave the lawyers until December 2 to file a request. The Public Prosecution Service has until December 9 to respond. She had previously stated that she wanted to abide by the verdict, but was open to delaying the sentencing until after Trump’s second term in 2029. If the verdict stands, Trump would become the first convicted felon in American history to run for the White House pulls. Friday’s decision makes it less likely that a sentence will be announced in the case before Trump takes office on January 20.
Guilty on 34 counts
Jurors in New York found Trump guilty on 34 counts in late May. The trial concerned the illegal withholding of $130,000 in hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels to gain advantages in the 2016 election campaign. It was the first time in United States history that a former president was convicted of a crime. In early November, Trump became the first convicted criminal to be elected US president.
The verdict was originally going to be announced in mid-September. But then Judge Merchan granted Trump’s request not to announce the sentence until after the presidential election. In the worst case, Trump risks several years in prison. However, many observers believed that a suspended sentence or a fine was much more likely.
The presidential office will protect Trump in further proceedings
Further proceedings against Trump are ongoing – but it is already foreseeable that these will somehow come to nothing with his election as US president. This also applies to the proceedings in Washington in which Trump was charged in connection with attempted election fraud and the storming of the US Capitol by his supporters on January 6, 2021. Special investigator Jack Smith wants to decide before December 2 how to proceed in the case.
Trump’s lawyers had requested that Trump’s conviction be annulled and thus the pending sentence. They cited a July Supreme Court ruling that granted Trump and all presidents in general broad protection from criminal prosecution.
The jury found Trump guilty
The former president was found guilty by a jury in New York at the end of May of falsifying company documents to cover up the payment of hush money to porn actress Stormy Daniels. He is the first former US president in history to be criminally convicted.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
