Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over the criminal trial of President-elect Donald Trump regarding alleged “hush money” payments, is anticipated to make a decision next week on whether Trump’s felony conviction will be upheld. The sentencing, originally scheduled for more than four months ago, was postponed until after the election, with Merchan setting a deadline of next Tuesday to determine if the conviction should be dismissed.
Trump, who recently won the presidential election, was seen in the defendant’s seat in Manhattan Criminal Court during jury deliberations on May 29, 2024. His election victory is expected to strengthen his legal team’s resolve to prevent the sentencing from taking place. CNN’s chief legal affairs correspondent, Paula Reid, commented on this development late Wednesday.
Reid explained that Trump’s legal team is likely to argue that the sentencing should not proceed now that Trump is the president-elect. They are expected to assert that he should be accorded the same constitutional protections as a sitting president and should be shielded from state actors, including state prosecutors.
Trump, now 78, could face up to four years in prison if sentenced. He was convicted on 34 counts of felony for falsifying business records to conceal payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election.
However, some legal experts have predicted that Trump is unlikely to serve jail time. Former prosecutor Neama Rahmani stated, “Merchan doesn’t have the stomach to imprison a former president or president-elect.” Rahmani further suggested that Trump’s recent election victory could potentially alleviate his legal troubles.