Washington: In a blow for Donald Trump, a US court has set the president-elect’s sentencing for January 10 in a hush-money case, days before he is set to take the oath of office on January 20. The court, however, said that he won’t be jailed in the case.
The development means that Trump will be the first US President to enter the Oval Office convicted of felony crimes. During the hearing of the case on Friday, Judge Juan M Merchan, in a written decision, said that that he’d sentence Trump to conditional discharge, which means a case gets dismissed if a defendant avoids rearrest, news agency Associated Press reported.
Court dismisses Donald Trump’s request to dismiss the case
Judge Merchan rejected the President-Elect’s urge to dismiss the case on presidential immunity grounds He also did not find any “legal impediment to sentencing” the President-Elect. The judge further observed that was “incumbent” on him to sentence Trump before his swearing-in. “Only by bringing finality to this matter” will the interests of justice be served, the judge wrote in his verdict.
Donald Trump was convicted in May of 34 counts of faking business records. The case is related to an alleged attempt to hide a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels during Trump’s first campaign in 2016. The payment was made to make her avoid claims of having sex with the married Trump several years back. However, Trump has claimed that allegations are false against him.
Judge halted the case last November
The judge halted the case last year after Trump’s November 5 election. He also postponed the sentencing for an indefinite period so that the defense and prosecution could decide on the future of the case. Trump’s lawyers had urged the court to toss it, as otherwise, it would pose unconstitutional “disruptions” to the next President’s ability during his tenure.
