A New York appellate court has rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s request to delay his sentencing in relation to his criminal conviction over hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign.
The court decided to proceed with sentencing on January 10, ten days before Trump’s inauguration.
Justice Juan Merchan, who initially scheduled the sentencing, indicated that he was not inclined to send Trump to prison, suggesting an alternative sentence of unconditional discharge, which would result in a criminal record without imprisonment or probation.
Trump’s legal team argued that presidential immunity extended to the transition period after winning the election, but the court did not accept this argument.
Trump criticized the judge, calling him “crooked” and accusing him of hindering a smooth transition, despite claiming his innocence.
The case stems from a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to silence Daniels about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies.
Trump has characterized the case as a political attack by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, aimed at damaging his 2024 election bid.
The case marked the first time a sitting or former US president has been charged with a crime, and Trump’s legal team has made unsuccessful attempts to have the case dismissed.
