Announcement of sentence against Trump postponed to September 18
Here is the translated text:
The sentencing for Trump's punishment should be announced seven weeks before the US Presidency election on November 5. Trump was found guilty by the jury in all 34 charges in the procedure on May 30 for concealing a hush money payment to the former porn star Stormy Daniels using falsified business documents. Trump thus becomes the first former US President in history to be criminally convicted.
Shortly after the Supreme Court's Monday decision, which granted Trump immunity for "official" actions during his presidency, his attorney Todd Blanche wrote to the judge requesting the allowance for the appeal of the verdict and the postponement of the sentencing date.
It is considered unlikely that a prison sentence for the 78-year-old, who intends to run for re-election in the November presidential race against incumbent Joe Biden, will be imposed. Experts anticipate a probation or fine sentence since Trump was criminally convicted for the first time and it is not a violent crime.
Trump's attorneys aim to achieve a complete annulment of the verdict and seem to be encouraged by the Supreme Court's decision regarding Trump's immunity and that of US Presidents in general.
The $130,000 hush money payment (equivalent to around €122,000 at today's value) to Stormy Daniels was indeed paid before the 2016 election, that is, before Trump's tenure in the White House. However, it was paid by Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen, who later received the money back from Trump while he was already president.
The Supreme Court, however, did not grant Trump full immunity for all his actions during his presidency. The Court explicitly excluded such actions from the protection against prosecution, which have a "private" - that is, unofficial - character.
The Supreme Court's decision also specifically referred to another case, namely the indictment against Trump before a federal court regarding his attempts to overturn his electoral loss to Biden in 2020 after the election.
- The announcement of Trump's sentencing for his punishment is scheduled for seven weeks prior to the US Presidential election on November 5.
- The Supreme Court's decision granted Trump immunity for "official" actions during his presidency, leading to Todd Blanche's request for appeal and sentence postponement.
- Experts predict a probation or fine sentence for Trump, given his status as a first-time criminal convict and the non-violent nature of the crime.
- Trump's attorneys aim to overturn the verdict, finding encouragement in the Supreme Court's decision on Trump's immunity and that of US Presidents.
- The $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels was made before Trump's presidential term and was funded by his former attorney, Michael Cohen.
- Despite granting partial immunity, the Supreme Court denied Trump full protection for actions with a "private" character, potentially opening up further investigations.
- The Supreme Court's verdict also mentioned a separate case involving Trump's attempts to overturn his 2020 electoral loss to Joe Biden.
- Juan Merchan, the judge presiding over Trump's case, has yet to decide on the request for appeal and sentence postponement in the September hearing.
