Trump released unconditionally, no penalty in hush money case
11/01/2025
Trump will become the first President to be convicted of criminal charges, attending the proceedings virtually from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. - Reuters Image
YORK: US President-elect Donald Trump was released unconditionally in New York on Friday after being convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records, UPI reported.
The sentencing hearing begins at 9.30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Trump will become the first President to be convicted of criminal charges, attending the proceedings virtually from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. The sentencing decision was made on the recommendation of the prosecution, according to CNN, CBS News, and NBC News reports.
Although Trump has been referred to as a criminal offender since the court ruled unanimously last spring, officially, he will have to serve his sentence to complete his conviction.
The unconditional past sentence fulfills that requirement.
"This case is extraordinary," New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan said during sentencing.
"However, once the doors of the court are closed, this trial is no longer special, unique, or extraordinary compared to the other 32 cases in this court," he said.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass proposed an unconditional sentencing, meaning Trump would not be jailed or placed under parole.
Merchan, who on Monday decided not to postpone the sentencing hearing further, also said he would not sentence Trump to jail.
Trump has previously faced possible jail time, house arrest, or probation.
Steinglass said Trump had sought to undermine the credibility of the judicial system since he was convicted and showed no remorse for the crimes committed.
When it was the defense's turn to speak out, Trump once again reiterated his usual assertion that the investigation into his actions was a "political hunt."
The sentencing proceedings that were supposed to take place on July 11 have been postponed several times because Merchan and the Manhattan District Attorney respect Trump's campaign for the presidential election.
Trump's latest attempt to set aside the hearing failed after the US Supreme Court rejected his application to stop it.
The apex court ruled by a vote of 5-4, in which Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined three liberal justices to dismiss Trump's application.
Trump in a post on social media said he would appeal.
Trump's conviction stemmed from an attempt to conceal payments made to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels during her first campaign for the presidency.
11/01/2025
Trump will become the first President to be convicted of criminal charges, attending the proceedings virtually from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. - Reuters Image
YORK: US President-elect Donald Trump was released unconditionally in New York on Friday after being convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records, UPI reported.
The sentencing hearing begins at 9.30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Trump will become the first President to be convicted of criminal charges, attending the proceedings virtually from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. The sentencing decision was made on the recommendation of the prosecution, according to CNN, CBS News, and NBC News reports.
Although Trump has been referred to as a criminal offender since the court ruled unanimously last spring, officially, he will have to serve his sentence to complete his conviction.
The unconditional past sentence fulfills that requirement.
"This case is extraordinary," New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan said during sentencing.
"However, once the doors of the court are closed, this trial is no longer special, unique, or extraordinary compared to the other 32 cases in this court," he said.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass proposed an unconditional sentencing, meaning Trump would not be jailed or placed under parole.
Merchan, who on Monday decided not to postpone the sentencing hearing further, also said he would not sentence Trump to jail.
Trump has previously faced possible jail time, house arrest, or probation.
Steinglass said Trump had sought to undermine the credibility of the judicial system since he was convicted and showed no remorse for the crimes committed.
When it was the defense's turn to speak out, Trump once again reiterated his usual assertion that the investigation into his actions was a "political hunt."
The sentencing proceedings that were supposed to take place on July 11 have been postponed several times because Merchan and the Manhattan District Attorney respect Trump's campaign for the presidential election.
Trump's latest attempt to set aside the hearing failed after the US Supreme Court rejected his application to stop it.
The apex court ruled by a vote of 5-4, in which Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined three liberal justices to dismiss Trump's application.
Trump in a post on social media said he would appeal.
Trump's conviction stemmed from an attempt to conceal payments made to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels during her first campaign for the presidency.
