Trump urges a postponement of sentencing
In late May, Donald Trump was found guilty in a hush money trial. The sentencing was supposed to have been announced by now, but the date was postponed. Now, Trump's lawyers are trying to further delay the announcement - until after the presidential election.
Donald Trump is seeking to postpone the sentencing in his hush money trial until after the U.S. presidential election. The sentencing is scheduled for September 18, with the election taking place on November 5. "Apart from the obvious goal of influencing the election, there is no compelling reason for the court to keep the current sentencing announcement date on the calendar," Trump's lawyers, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, wrote in a motion to Judge Juan Merchan. They argue that the Republican presidential candidate needs more time to potentially appeal Merchan's decision regarding Trump's presidential immunity before the sentencing. Merchan will decide on September 16, two days before the scheduled sentencing, whether to overturn Trump's guilty verdict in light of a landmark Supreme Court ruling. The Supreme Court granted Trump partial immunity from criminal prosecution on July 1, but this does not apply to offenses in a private capacity.
Trump was found guilty by a jury on May 30. In New York, the judge will decide the sentence. Originally, this was to be announced on July 11.
Trump was accused of falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election campaign. His personal attorney, Michael Cohen, gave Daniels the money to prevent the disclosure of an alleged sexual affair in 2006. Trump admitted to reimbursing Cohen but denies having an affair with Daniels.
Trump's lawyers have suggested postponing the sentencing in his hush money trial until after the US presidential election of 2024, citing the need for more time to potentially appeal legal decisions. Despite being found guilty in May 2023, the actual sentencing date has been changed multiple times, and the current scheduled date is September 18, 2023.
