World
November 19, 2024 23:30
washington - The prosecutor in the hush money case against President-elect Donald Trump has asked a New York judge to delay ruling on the sentencing until after his presidency. This would mean the case could be postponed until 2029.
The American justice system has presented the option of delaying the verdict to 2029 in order to relieve the pressure on Judge Juan Merchan, who is deliberating on what to do with the case following the Republican's election victory.
Earlier this year, Trump was unanimously found guilty by a jury on 34 charges of accounting fraud to conceal payments to individuals, including porn star Stormy Daniels. The sentencing has been repeatedly postponed and is currently scheduled for next week.
The defense is seeking no delay, but rather a dismissal. Trump's lawyers argue that the jury found him guilty in May based on evidence that, according to a later Supreme Court ruling, is partially covered by presidential immunity. The defense asserts that the jury should not have seen those documents, and therefore the case should be dismissed. Prosecutors argue that there is sufficient other evidence.
Trump faces a maximum of four years in prison in the hush money case. Since this is his first criminal conviction, a significantly lighter sentence is expected if the judge does not dismiss the case. The key question has always been whether the Republican would go to jail. A fine would be the most likely outcome.
The hush money scandal is the only one of the original four cases that has come before a judge and been judged by a jury. The payments to porn star Daniels and others were meant to prevent negative publicity about extramarital relationships in the lead-up to the 2016 election. The payments were classified as 'legal expenses'. Trump denies the affair with Daniels.
Activist Democratic prosecutor Alvin Bragg revisited the old issue after making it a point in his election campaign (in America, prosecutors are not appointed but elected) to prosecute the former president. Trump has always claimed to not receive a fair legal chance in Manhattan, a Democratic stronghold. Following the jury's 'guilty' verdict in May, Judge Merchan was originally set to sentence on July 11, a date that has been repeatedly postponed at the defense's request.
The other three cases have reached a dead end or been delayed. Two federal cases regarding Trump's role in the 2021 Capitol riot and withholding of classified documents are being dropped. Special prosecutor Jack Smith is throwing in the towel, knowing that he would be fired after Trump's inauguration on January 20. The document case had already been dismissed by a judge in Florida, with Smith appealing that decision.
The conspiracy case in Georgia related to the 2020 elections is on hold pending an appeal on whether prosecutor Fani Willis can proceed. She is under fire for conflict of interest after it was revealed she had a relationship with one of the lawyers on her team. If she remains, the case will enter legally uncharted territory. Willis is not a federal prosecutor, so as president, Trump has no control over the case. It is unclear whether a state-level prosecutor can prosecute a sitting president. Experts suggest a judge will likely intervene in such a scenario.