Looks like Trump’s New York legal drama just got a plot twist! Judge Juan Merchan dropped a bombshell on Friday, announcing that the former prez won’t be sentenced in his criminal case until after the 2024 election. Talk about a cliffhanger!
The judge spilled the tea in a four-page letter, saying he’ll dish out Trump’s sentence on November 26 – if needed. This comes after Trump’s lawyers begged for a rain check on the sentencing.
Remember when Trump got slapped with 34 counts of fudging business records to cover up hush money to an adult film star? Well, that May conviction has been in limbo for months. Trump’s legal eagles have been pushing to toss it out, citing some Supreme Court mumbo jumbo about presidential immunity.
Merchan’s playing it cool, saying he wants to avoid any drama that might look like he’s trying to sway the November election. Smart move, right?
In his own words, Merchan wrote, “Pushing back the decision and sentencing, if we need to go there, should shut down any whispers that the Court’s trying to give a leg up or throw shade at any political party or candidate.” Smooth operator, that Merchan!
But wait, there’s more! Merchan’s also gonna decide on Trump’s plea to ditch the verdict on November 12 – also after the election. He’s calling the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling a “historic and game-changing decision.” No pressure, right?
Trump’s camp didn’t miss a beat. Their spokesperson, Steven Cheung, fired back, calling the whole thing a “witch hunt” by the Manhattan DA to mess with the election. Classic Trump move!
On the flip side, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s crew is keeping it cool. They’re like, “Hey, 12 New Yorkers said Trump’s guilty of 34 felonies. We’re ready whenever the court is.” Talk about confidence!
This delay is just another chapter in the Trump legal saga. Remember when he got hit with indictments left and right in 2023? New York, Florida, DC, Georgia – it was like a twisted version of Monopoly!
The only one that actually went to trial was this New York hush money gig. Now, we won’t know if Trump’s facing jail time until after the election – if at all. Talk about suspense!
Merchan’s not taking this lightly. He’s all, “This case is one for the history books, folks. If we move forward, I’ve got to make one of the toughest calls a judge can make – sentencing someone a jury found guilty.” No pressure, right?
He added, “We’ve got to respect the jury’s hard work and not let the craziness of the upcoming election overshadow it. And hey, if we need a sentencing hearing, Trump’s got rights we need to protect.” Sounds fair enough!
This isn’t the first time Merchan’s hit the pause button. He already pushed back the July sentencing by two months when Trump’s team cried foul over that Supreme Court immunity thing.
Last week, Trump tried to take his ball and go to federal court, but got shut down faster than a New York minute. His lawyers are still fighting that one.
Trump’s legal dream team is arguing that the whole case should be tossed out. They’re saying the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling means some of the evidence shouldn’t have been allowed. The prosecutors? They’re not buying it, saying the evidence was rock solid.
Originally, Merchan was gonna rule on the immunity thing on September 16, with sentencing two days later. But Trump’s lawyers begged for more time, saying they needed a chance to appeal if things didn’t go their way.
So, what does all this mean? Trump’s conviction drama, which was all over the news in spring, won’t be stealing the spotlight in the final stretch of the presidential race. And the election won’t be messing with whatever sentence Merchan might hand down.
Trump could be looking at up to four years behind bars, but don’t hold your breath. Merchan might go easy on him with probation, house arrest, community service, or just a fine. We’ll have to wait and see how this legal soap opera plays out!
