The incoming president, Donald Trump, has urged a judge in New York to temporarily suspend the sentencing in his serious confidential payment case, set to occur on the 10th of January. Trump’s legal team made it public on Monday that an appeal against Justice Juan Merchan’s decision to progress sentencing would be filed. The court documents revealed Trump’s legal representatives would aim for “a dismissal of this prosecution, which in their view is politically influenced and had issues from its inception”.
Trump faced a guilty verdict for 34 serious counts concerning business record forgery, becoming the first ex-president to be declared guilty of a criminal offense in May 2024. The accusations sprouted from Trump’s tactic of masking repayments for hush money offered to an adult film actor as legal fees. Trump maintained his innocence pleading not guilty and denying any wrongdoing whatsoever.
His legal representation is of the opinion that moving forward with an appeal should effectively stall the ongoing criminal prosecution in his New York case. The pronouncement of the sentence has been postponed various times due to reasons such as the 2024 presidential elections and Trump’s move to have the case dismissed under the pretext of presidential immunity.
Justice Merchan responded by definitively refuting the immunity proposal in December. Then, on the third day of January, Justice Merchan released a directive indicating he would proceed with the sentencing prior to Trump’s inauguration. However, he assured he wouldn’t entertain any incarceration sentence.
He summoned Trump to make an appearance, either virtually or physically, for the court session. The District Attorney’s office of Manhattan has plans to lodge a response with the court.
In the aftermath of the election, an onslaught of legal documents were filed both from Trump’s legal advisors and the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, responsible for introducing the case. Bragg’s team communicated they wouldn’t resist delaying Trump’s sentence until he completes his presidential term, which would be after four years.
However, Justice Merchan expressed that ‘finalizing this matter’ is the only way to solve the legal issues involved in his firm belief. Yet, the judge didn’t entirely close off the opportunity for Trump to appeal the sentencing. He mentioned that Trump should “be granted the chance to utilize each and every legal appeal at his disposal”.