Donald Trump’s sentence in the hush money trial comes on January 10th

Date set

Trial against Trump: Judge surprised with announcement

Trump has already been found guilty in the hush money trial – but the sentence is still missing. The New York judge is now surprising with an announcement.

The sentence in the hush money trial against Donald Trump is scheduled to be announced on January 10th – before the president’s inauguration. The responsible judge, Juan Merchan, announced this on Friday, according to consistent US media reports. Trump could appear at the court date “in person or virtually,” the document says. Merchan also stated that he was not inclined to impose a prison sentence. The public prosecutor’s office had previously shown itself open to postponing the announcement of the sentence until after Trump’s upcoming term as US President. But the judge surprised those involved in the trial with a different date.

Judge Merchan also stated that he had rejected Trump’s request to stop the proceedings after his election victory. Overturning the jury verdict would “immeasurably undermine the rule of law,” he wrote. He indicated that he favored a so-called unconditional suspension of Trump’s sentence – a rare and lenient alternative to prison or probation.

The court recognizes that a crime has been committed, but does not impose a prison sentence or a fine as disproportionate. In such a case, Trump would still be considered a criminal, it would be the first case in US history.

A Trump representative said in an initial statement that no punishment should be imposed. This is derived from the US Constitution. Trump’s lawyers had argued, among other things, that the case could affect the Republican’s ability to carry out his office. Merchan wrote that the falsification of business documents as a “definitely personal act” does not pose the risk of encroaching on the authority and function of the head of state, as the Supreme Court recently declared inadmissible.

Donald Trump’s team sharply criticized the planned sentencing in the hush money trial shortly before the inauguration of the US President-elect. “This unlawful proceeding should never have been initiated and the Constitution requires that it be stopped immediately,” said Trump spokesman Steven Cheung. Trump must be allowed to continue the transition process before the transfer of power in Washington and carry out the duties of the presidency “without being hampered by the remnants of this process or other remnants of the witch hunt.” There should be no sentencing, Cheung wrote.

Trump, who won the presidential election and begins his second term as US president on January 20, was found guilty in the New York trial in May. He was accused of covering up a $130,000 hush money payment to former porn actress Stormy Daniels by falsifying business documents before his 2016 election victory.