A New York judge has postponed former President Donald Trump’s sentencing date for the second time in his criminal case, allowing Trump to wait until after the election to learn his fate in his “hush money” case. Originally scheduled for September 18, Trump’s attorneys requested a delay until after the presidential election to resolve ongoing legal challenges. Justice Juan Merchan issued an order to delay sentencing until November 26 to avoid any appearance of influencing the election by affecting the defendant, who is a candidate.
Trump was convicted in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a scheme to hide reimbursements for a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels. Although facing a maximum sentence of up to four years in jail, legal observers expect Trump to avoid jail time as a first-time offender. Trump’s attorneys have attempted to delay the sentencing multiple times, including seeking to set aside his conviction following a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity. A decision on this motion is expected on September 16.
Trump was in a courtroom close to the Manhattan criminal court where Merchan presides, listening to arguments in an appeal of a 2023 civil judgment involving allegations of sexual abuse and defamation by writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump has denied all allegations in multiple cases, including those concerning attempts to overturn the 2020 election and charges related to taking confidential documents from the White House. Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office did not oppose further delaying the sentencing date.
Trump’s attorneys argued that delaying the sentencing until after the election would reduce concerns about the integrity of the proceedings. Most legal experts anticipate that Trump will receive a sentence that includes alternative options to incarceration, such as probation, given his status as a first-time offender. The delay in sentencing allows time for ongoing legal challenges to his conviction to be resolved. The judge overseeing the case, Justice Merchan, emphasized the court’s fairness, impartiality, and neutrality in making the decision to postpone sentencing.
Trump’s efforts to delay his sentencing date, including requesting a federal jurisdiction transfer twice, were rejected by a federal judge. It was determined that the “hush money” scheme was a personal matter separate from Trump’s official acts as president. Trump’s defense team has filed multiple motions in the case, stemming from various legal issues and challenges related to the conviction. The postponement of the sentencing until after the election serves to avoid any perception of bias or influence on the upcoming presidential election involving Trump.
