Success for Donald Trump: The sentence against him in the hush money trial was supposed to be announced in September, before the presidential election. But the judge postponed the announcement.
In the New York trial over former President Donald Trump’s hush money payments, the sentence will not be announced until after the presidential election. Following a request from Trump, Judge Juan Merchan set the new date for November 26, according to court documents. The sentence had previously been expected to be set for September 18.
Trump had argued that a decision on sentencing just weeks before the November 5 election could affect the integrity of the vote.
In addition, the 78-year-old’s lawyers wrote that a prospective decision by the judge on another motion regarding Trump’s alleged immunity would not allow enough time for an appeal. Merchan had originally set this decision for September 16 – two days before the sentence was announced. Merchan has now set November 12 as the new date for this decision.
Prison threatens in the worst case
The delay means that Americans will most likely go to the polls in early November without knowing whether Trump, who has already been found guilty, will have to go to prison or not. If he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, the sentence could be delayed even further. In the worst case scenario, Trump faces a prison sentence of several years. However, some observers believe that a suspended sentence is more likely.
At the end of May, a jury in New York found the former president guilty of 34 charges. The trial concerned the illegal concealment of hush money payments to a porn actress in order to gain advantages in the 2016 election campaign. It was the first time in the history of the United States that a former president was convicted of a crime.
Case mainly revolves around the time before the 2016 election
Trump has thus managed to delay a punishment that could potentially harm him in the election. He had already achieved something similar before on the basis of a success before the Supreme Court: The highest US court recently ruled that although Trump does not enjoy complete immunity for actions during his time as president, the protection from prosecution is very extensive. This also had an impact on other ongoing proceedings against Trump.
The New York hush money case, however, is different and revolves primarily around Trump’s actions as a presidential candidate before the 2016 election. Trump had already failed in the past with the argument that the case concerned his presidency.
Sexual abuse appeal hearing
Meanwhile, it was announced that Trump had also requested the annulment of the civil judgment against him for sexual abuse. At a hearing before an appeals court in Manhattan, the 78-year-old’s defense called for a retrial.
Trump and the allegedly injured US author E. Jean Carroll were present in person. In a rambling speech in his Manhattan high-rise, Trump again accused the US justice system of specifically targeting him. He denied the allegations.
Last year, a New York jury found that Trump had attacked, sexually abused and later defamed Carroll in a luxury New York department store in 1996. The jury awarded the writer five million dollars (about 4.5 million euros) in compensation.
Because of Trump’s renewed attacks, Carroll was awarded an additional $83 million in a second trial – but that case is not the focus here.
According to US media, a decision by the court on a possible new trial is unlikely before the election on November 5.
![Full Movie]New Life [Ganzer Film] Stream German](https://i0.wp.com/cdn.fourthwall.com/offer/sh_6dae32df-77b9-4b9a-9094-3a3fea464067/be2379b5-2783-489a-9047-29130741eee4.webp?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 "Full Movie]New Life [Ganzer Film] Stream German")
