Washington DC [US]: Former US President Donald Trump is set to be sentenced on January 10 in connection with his conviction for falsifying business records related to hush money payments to a porn star, according to a ruling by New York Judge Juan Merchan.
Despite the conviction, the judge stated that Trump would face no legal penalties. Judge Merchan described the case as “essentially over,” emphasizing the need for finality while allowing Trump to continue appealing the jury’s verdict.
“A sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options,” Merchan wrote in his ruling.
Trump’s legal team had sought to overturn the conviction, citing his reelection efforts as a complicating factor. The judge, however, ruled that the conviction would stand. To address concerns raised by Trump’s team about the mental and physical demands of attending the sentencing in person, the judge approved a virtual appearance for the proceeding.
“It was a smart move by Judge Merchan to announce in advance that he is going to impose no punishment and hold the proceeding remotely because that undermines any effort by Trump’s team to argue in federal court that sentencing imposes some major burden,” commented CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig.
Trump was convicted in May of 2023 on 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges stem from hush money payments made by Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, to adult film actor Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election to silence her allegations of an affair with Trump—a claim Trump has consistently denied.
This historic conviction marks the first time a US president has been found guilty of a felony. Trump, who has vowed to appeal the decision, continues to face legal challenges as he campaigns for the upcoming presidential election.