Gambiaj.com – (NEW YORK, United States) – Prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office stated on Monday that they will defer to the court regarding former President Donald Trump’s request to delay his sentencing on falsifying business records charges until after the 2024 election. The sentencing, currently set for September 18, comes two days after New York State Judge Juan Merchan is expected to rule on Trump’s motion to dismiss his May conviction. The motion, based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on presidential immunity in an unrelated case, argues for overturning the verdict.
Prosecutors indicated that while they are willing to follow the court’s lead on scheduling, they emphasized the need for a timely sentencing process, arguing against “unreasonable delay.” They also clarified that Trump’s request centers on evidentiary issues rather than presidential immunity from prosecution, noting that the Supreme Court’s ruling did not determine whether such evidentiary matters are immediately appealable.
The possibility of another postponement raises logistical and security concerns, given Trump’s high-profile status. Prosecutors cautioned that the court’s preparations could be complicated if Trump immediately seeks appellate intervention following Merchan’s September 16 ruling on his motion to set aside the conviction.
Trump’s legal team had earlier filed a letter arguing that the existing timeline does not provide them enough time to pursue an appeal if their motion is rejected. According to Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, “A single business day is an unreasonably short period of time,” stressing that there is “no basis for continuing to rush.”
Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the final stages of the 2016 presidential campaign. This marked the first time a former U.S. president was convicted of a crime. The sentencing was initially scheduled for July 11 but was postponed to September at Trump’s request, as his lawyers sought to leverage the Supreme Court’s July 1 ruling on presidential immunity in another case.
Trump’s legal argument centers on claims that the immunity decision should have barred Manhattan prosecutors from presenting evidence related to his “official acts” while in office. Among the evidence challenged was former White House aide Hope Hicks’ testimony about a conversation she had with Trump during his presidency. Prosecutors, however, assert that the ruling has no bearing on the evidence presented at the trial, which focused on Trump’s personal actions.
If Judge Merchan approves another delay, it would be a significant legal win for Trump, who has been entangled in multiple criminal cases this year. The classified documents case against him in Florida was dismissed in July, while the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling postponed the federal election interference trial. In Georgia, the election interference case is delayed until at least December as Trump appeals a judge’s decision not to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from leading the case.
