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Judge Sets Trump’s Sentencing Date Before Inauguration, No Jail Time Expected
Trump’s sentencing in the hush money case is set for Jan 10, 2025, just before his inauguration. Judge leans toward no jail time, despite conviction. Trump calls it politically motivated.
ND
by News Desk
2025-01-04
Judge Sets Trump’s Sentencing Date Before Inauguration, No Jail Time Expected

In a landmark development for President-elect Donald Trump, a New York judge set the sentencing date for his hush money case just 10 days before his January 20 inauguration. Judge Juan Merchan announced on Friday that Trump’s sentencing will take place on January 10, 2025, and indicated that he is not inclined to impose jail time.

Trump, the first former U.S. president to ever be convicted of a crime, will have the option to appear in person or virtually at his sentencing. Judge Merchan’s decision comes after he upheld Trump’s conviction for 34 counts of falsifying business records, which stemmed from a hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election. Trump’s lawyers had attempted to have the case dismissed, arguing that former presidents are immune from prosecution for actions taken while in office, but Merchan rejected those motions.

The judge emphasized that while Trump faced up to four years in prison, he was inclined toward an “unconditional discharge,” meaning no conditions would be attached to Trump’s sentence, thus avoiding incarceration. Trump’s legal team is expected to appeal the decision, potentially delaying the sentencing.

Trump expressed his frustration with the ruling, calling it a “rigged charade” and labeling Judge Merchan a “radical partisan.” The former president claimed that the case violated the U.S. Constitution and would mark the “end of the Presidency as we know it.”

Despite the conviction, the judge noted that Trump will likely be immune from prosecution after taking the presidential oath, which is why the sentencing is scheduled before his inauguration. Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, denounced the proceedings, describing them as a violation of the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling and a “witch hunt.”

Trump’s legal battles are not over; he also faces federal charges related to the 2020 election results and a racketeering case in Georgia, though these may be delayed due to his presidential status. With the sentencing scheduled just before his inauguration, the political implications are enormous, and the legal challenges are expected to continue to unfold in the coming months.
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HushMoney

PresidentialImmunity

TrumpCase

SentencingDate

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