The New York judge overseeing President-elect Donald Trump’s hush money trial has ordered him to appear for his long-delayed sentencing hearing on Jan. 10, more than seven months after he was convicted on all 34 felony counts against him.
The unprecedented sentence will be handed down 10 days before Trump is to be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.
He is not likely to face incarceration, however. Judge Juan Merchan wrote in his Friday order that he agreed with prosecutors that time behind bars was no longer practical, and signaled that he may choose to impose no punishment.
The judge’s decision will cement Trump’s status as a felon — a first for any president.
After Trump won another term in office, his attorneys argued the case should be dismissed entirely. Prosecutors floated several options for his sentencing, which had already been delayed by a Supreme Court decision stating that presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted for official acts.
The Countdown To Trump Is On
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“[I]n balancing the aforementioned considerations in conjunction with the underlying concerns of the Presidential immunity doctrine, a sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options,” Merchan wrote.
This story is developing. Please check back soon for more.