The Manhattan judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal trial in the “hush money” case is expected to announce next week whether the president-elect’s felony conviction will be upheld. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who has already delayed sentencing for over four months, has set a deadline for next Tuesday to determine if Trump’s conviction should be overturned.
Trump’s decisive win in the presidential election has given new momentum to his legal team, which is now pushing for the sentencing to be dismissed. According to CNN’s chief legal affairs correspondent, Paula Reid, his lawyers will argue that, as president-elect, Trump is entitled to the same constitutional protections as a sitting president, shielding him from prosecution by state authorities.
The 78-year-old former president was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 election. While he faces up to four years in prison, legal experts have speculated that Trump is unlikely to serve time.
Former prosecutor Neama Rahmani suggested that Judge Merchan may not be inclined to imprison a former president, especially now that Trump has won the election. “Now that Trump has won, his criminal problems go away,” Rahmani said.
