Trump still faces jail or fine: Fate of hush money case to be decided by NY judge
By
Kaelan Deese
November 11, 2024 2:58 pm
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Donald Trump was elected last week to be the 47th president of the United States, but he continues to face the prospect of punishment after a jury in the New York borough of Manhattan found him guilty in a 34-count criminal case earlier this year, with the possibilities ranging from prison time to having the case dismissed altogether.
New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan is poised to decide Tuesday whether to overturn the president-elect’s conviction, which stems from a jury finding him guilty of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to a porn star. Trump fought the allegations in New York state court but was found guilty by a 12-member jury.
Legal experts have said the punishment for this conviction could result in up to four years in jail in addition to financial penalties. But given Trump’s return to the White House in under 80 days and his preparations to lead the country over the next four years, experts say Trump may expect only a fine, if not a complete dismissal of the case, before his scheduled Nov. 26 sentencing.
The sentencing was supposed to take place in September before Merchan postponed it in light of defense attorneys citing a July 1 Supreme Court decision that granted former presidents some immunity from official acts. While the high court’s decision mainly applied to Trump’s two separate federal cases, defense attorneys nevertheless said it should extend to the hush money case.
Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz told the Washington Examiner that “it’s certainly possible the sentencing will not happen.”
“It should not happen,” said Dershowitz, a veteran appellate lawyer who has handled hundreds of high-level celebrity cases, including serving as Trump’s counsel during his first impeachment.
more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/3225842/new-york-judge-trump-sentencing-hush-money-case/
