Former President Donald Trump’s July 11 sentencing for a 34-count conviction in Manhattan will be delayed after the Supreme Court released its decision on presidential immunity.
The Manhattan DA’s office said it will not oppose delaying sentencing as Trump’s lawyers move to file a motion to overturn his hush money verdict.
Judge Juan Merchan will make the final decision, but with both parties in agreement, it’s more likely that Trump’s sentencing date next week will be pushed back by a few weeks.
A New York jury unanimously found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records on May 30 for covering up a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet before the 2016 election.
But on Monday, Trump’s attorney sent a letter asking to set aside his conviction and delay his sentencing following the blockbuster Supreme Court decision.
Trump contended he is immune from prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office.
The conservative justices on the Supreme Court ruled that a president does have immunity from prosecution for official acts in office but not for unofficial acts.
The decision dealt a major setback for the federal criminal case against Trump, who is accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election and inciting the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
But following the ruling, Trump claimed the decision ‘totally dismantled most of the charges against me.’
While the DA’s office said it would not oppose his request to delay sentencing, it rejected that the conviction could be voided.
‘Although we believe defendant’s arguments to be without merit, we do not oppose his request for leave to file and his putative request to adjourn sentencing pending determination of his motion,’ assistant district attorney Joshua Steinglass wrote.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office requested two weeks from Trump’s lawyers filing paperwork to respond, setting their deadline at July 24.
The hush money case centered around the ex-president’s personal activity during the 2016 campaign to cover up a sex scandal while seeking office, but some of the evidence used to convict him came from his time in office.
Trump’s lawyers argued on Monday the conviction should be set aside.