A New York judge has postponed the sentencing of former President Donald Trump in his hush-money case until September to allow time to consider a recent Supreme Court ruling on immunity.
This development comes as the US Supreme Court ruled on Monday that immunity exists from criminal prosecution for official acts conducted while in office, a decision that could impact Trump’s case.
Trump was found guilty on May 30 of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment made by his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The payment was allegedly intended to keep Daniels quiet about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, which Trump denies, insisting he never had sex with her. The payment was made just before the 2016 presidential election, which Trump won against Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Prosecutors argued that the payment was part of an illicit scheme to influence the election. However, Trump’s legal team contended in a letter to Justice Merchan that prosecutors had used evidence involving Trump’s official acts as president, including conversations in the White House.
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling states that evidence related to official actions cannot be used to prove criminal cases involving unofficial actions. This ruling could affect the admissibility of specific evidence in Trump’s case. Trump has stated his intention to appeal the conviction after his sentencing.
The delay in sentencing allows for the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision to be fully considered, potentially affecting the outcome of Trump’s legal proceedings.
