Big Relief For Donald Trump As Sentencing In Hush Money Case Delayed Until After US Election

Former US President Donald Trump will not face sentencing in his New York criminal case until after the 2024 presidential election in November, as reported by the media. Judge Juan Merchan, as per a CNN report, cited the reason for this delay as an effort to avoid any appearance of influencing the outcome of the presidential race. In a four-page letter, Merchan stated that Trump would potentially be sentenced on November 26, responding to a request from Trump’s legal team to postpone the sentencing.
Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts related to falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment made to an adult-film star who alleged an affair with the former President, according to CNN. However, the sentencing has been put on hold for several months following attempts by Trump’s lawyers to have the conviction overturned based on the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.
Judge Merchan’s decision to delay the sentencing was influenced by the upcoming presidential election. He emphasized that part of the rationale behind the delay was to prevent any perception that the timing of the sentencing could impact the November election.
“Adjourning decision on the motion and sentencing, if such is required, should dispel any suggestion that the Court will have issued any decision or imposed sentence either to give an advantage to, or to create a disadvantage for, any political party and or any candidate for any office,” Merchan wrote.
Trump expressed appreciation for the language Merchan used in delaying his sentencing, noting that it will only commence “if necessary”.
“I greatly appreciate the words in the letter today from the judge. He said ‘if necessary’, being utilised in the decision, because there should be no ‘if necessary’. This case should rightfully be terminated immediately,” Trump said during remarks to the Fraternal Order of Police in North Carolina.
The former President also falsely said that the sentencing was “postponed” because he “did nothing wrong”.
In addition to pushing back the sentencing until November 26, Merchan wrote that he would decide on Trump’s motion to vacate the verdict because of the Supreme Court’s immunity decision on November 12, which is also after the election, CNN reported.
Merchan wrote in his letter that the Supreme Court “rendered a historic and intervening decision” with its immunity ruling.
The decision to push back the sentencing until after the November 5 election marks yet another delay that’s been a fixture in all of Trump’s criminal cases since he was indicted four times — in New York, Florida, Washington, DC and Georgia — in 2023.
The Florida classified documents case was dismissed by the judge in July — though the special counsel is appealing that decision — while the other two January 6-related cases are in limbo and won’t move forward before the election.
The only indictment that went to trial this year was the New York hush money case that ended in the May guilty verdict.
(With IANS inputs)