President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to be sentenced Friday in a hush-money case in Manhattan, allowing him to finally appeal a conviction he claims stems from a political “witch hunt.” .
The 78-year-old is scheduled to appear via video feed for a hearing at 9:30 a.m. in Manhattan Supreme Court, where Judge Juan Melchan will give him the most lenient sentence possible: no jail time. A fine or suspended sentence, said to give “unconditional release” meaning.
Trump, who chose not to testify in the drama-filled trial, will have a chance to address the court before the judge finds him guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The verdict, which comes just 10 days before Mr. Trump is sworn in for a second term, will cement his status as the first convicted felon ever held as president.
It would also allow President Trump to appeal the ruling.
Here's what else you need to know:
What happens at sentencing?
Like other defendants in criminal cases, Trump has the option of giving a statement before Marchand reads the verdict in the dingy 15th-floor courtroom at 100 Center Street, where the trial was held.
Prosecutors in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office will also have a chance to revisit the charges for which Mr. Trump was convicted, and Mr. Trump's lawyers will be asked if they will talk as well.
Mr. Trump was given the rare accommodation to attend the hearing remotely by video after the judge acknowledged that attending in person could interfere with his duties as he prepares to become president.
Is Trump a convicted felon?
A jury of 12 Manhattan residents convicted Trump in May of 34 felonies for falsifying business records.
However, some lawyers believe that until a judge issues a sentence, a person is not technically a “convicted felon” under the wording of the law.
Friday's proceedings will clarify Trump's historic status as the first convicted felon to serve as president of the United States, but he will be given the opportunity to overturn the conviction on appeal. Become.
What are President Trump's grounds for appeal?
Mr. Trump's lawyers claim that Mr. Daniels' sordid witness-stand trial was “tainted” by evidence brought in from Mr. Trump's time in the White House, and the US Supreme Court's bombshell They claim that they are blocked by a “presidential immunity'' ruling. .
Lawyers also say that if Mr. Trump takes the stand, prosecutors will be allowed to grill Mr. Trump over his past allegations of wrongdoing and court losses. There is also a possibility that Marchand's ruling will be challenged. He sexually abused advice columnist E. Jean Carroll.
The challenge was also successful in the case of disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Last year, Weinstein had his sex crimes conviction vacated by arguing that a trial judge “erroneously” decided that prosecutors would question him about a vast array of alleged wrongdoings. he testified.
Can Mr. Trump serve as president even if he is a convicted felon?
yes.
Trump's felony conviction did not prevent him from winning the Electoral College in November's election by a landslide over Vice President Kamala Harris.
Similarly, he will not be barred from holding the office of president, despite being the first convicted felon to hold the office.
What happened again?
The indictment alleges that President Trump concealed a $130,000 payment from fixer Michael Cohen to porn star Stormy Daniels to silence her story about her 2006 sex with the married real estate mogul. Suspicions center on the fact that it was intended to trick people.
Jurors saw 11 invoices, 12 digital ledger entries and 11 checks to Cohen, most of them signed by President Trump, showing that the Trump Organization had repaid Cohen for phony legal services. It was shown that he had disguised himself as
Tampering with business records is a misdemeanor, but it is a felony if done to cover up another crime.
Mr. Bragg's office blamed the crime as part of an illegal scheme to cover up the sex scandal from voters before the 2016 presidential election, which ultimately led Mr. Trump to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. He said there was something in return.
Will President Trump's sentencing be broadcast live?
no! New York court officials have rules in place that prohibit live streaming of court proceedings, even those involving former or future presidents of the United States.
However, we will do our best to post live updates here at nypost.com.
