The judge overseeing Donald J. Trump’s #criminal case in Manhattan postponed his sentencing until after #Election Day, a significant victory for #Trump as he seeks to overturn his #conviction & win back the White House.

In a ruling on Fri, the judge, Juan M. #Merchan, cited the “unique time frame this matter currently finds itself in” & rescheduled the sentencing for Nov 26.

#law #convict #felon #fraud #FalsifiedBusinessRecords #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #SCOTUS #immunity #FuckSCOTUS

#Merchan had previously planned to hand down Trump’s punishment on Sept 18, just 7 wks before #Election Day, when #Trump will face off against MVP #KamalaHarris for the presidency.
“This is not a decision this court makes lightly but it is the decision which in this court’s view, best advances the interests of #justice,” Justice Merchan wrote in the 4pg decision, which noted that “this matter is one that stands alone, in a unique place in this nation’s history.”

#criminal #law #convicted #felon

While the decision will avert a courtroom spectacle in the campaign’s final stretch, the #delay itself could still affect the #election, keeping #voters in the dark about whether #Trump will eventually spend time behind bars.
It is unclear whether sentencing Trump in Sept would have helped or harmed him politically;his punishment could have been an embarrassing reminder of his #criminal record, but could have also propelled his [#BS] claims [#lies] of political martyrdom.

#law #convicted #felon

Justice #Merchan’s decision came at the request of #Trump, who had asked to #delay the sentencing until after the #election, partly so he had more time to challenge his #conviction. Prosecutors working for the Manhattan DA, #AlvinBragg, who brought the case, had deferred to the judge, paving the way for at least a brief postponement.

#criminal #law #convict #felon #fraud #FalsifiedBusinessRecords #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #SCOTUS #immunity #FuckSCOTUS

The judge’s decision to push the proceeding is likely to infuriate Bragg’s liberal supporters & fuel accusations that #Trump is above the #law, shielded from the consequences of conviction, unlike any other #felon. To avoid that impression, left-leaning legal scholars — & Trump critics seeking catharsis — wanted Justice #Merchan to hold Trump accountable promptly after he was convicted in May of having #FalsifiedBusinessRecords to cover up a sex scandal.

#criminal #convict #HushMoney #SCOTUS