January 3rd 2025.
On April 23rd, 2024, former President Donald Trump made an appearance at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, where he was facing trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments related to extramarital affairs. This came just days before his return to the White House as the President-elect. Judge Juan Merchan's decision to deny Trump's request for the case to be thrown out meant that he would become the first US president to be convicted of felony crimes and serve time for them.
The sentencing for Trump was set for January 10th, just ten days before his Inauguration Day. However, the judge made it clear that Trump would not be going to jail, and prosecutors also agreed to this decision. The charges in this case stemmed from a $130,000 payment made by Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged affair.
Although Trump will not be present in court physically, he will attend virtually. Judge Merchan explained that there were no legal obstacles to sentencing Trump and that it was his responsibility to do so before the president-elect took office. He stated that justice could only be served by bringing closure to this matter.
In May, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to the hush money payment. This made him the first former US president to be convicted of crimes. However, he then went on to win the November election and become the first president to hold office after a criminal conviction. Trump's legal team argued that his election victory should result in his conviction being overturned.
Judge Merchan ultimately ruled that Trump's conviction would not be vacated, dismissing the arguments made by his lawyers. The issue had been going back and forth for two months between Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Trump's legal team. Trump's communications director, Steven Cheung, expressed their disappointment with the decision and stated that they would continue to fight any alleged hoaxes.
In the end, Judge Merchan's ruling put an end to the ongoing dispute and ensured that Trump's sentencing would proceed as planned. The former president will now face the consequences of his actions and serve time for his crimes.
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