New development in Trump's 'hush money' case: Decision postponed

Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case in New York, approved an agreement between Trump's lawyers and the Manhattan District Attorney's office to pause proceedings in the case for one week.

Judge Merchan agreed to postpone proceedings in the "hush money" case until November 19 to allow lawyers to submit new arguments regarding how Trump's election as the new president on November 5 might affect the case.

Merchan was expected to decide today whether to overturn Trump's conviction in the "hush money" case, based on the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling this summer regarding presidential immunity.

According to the petition submitted to the court, Trump's lawyer Emil Bove had requested that the court first suspend and then completely terminate the conviction against Trump "to avoid unconstitutional impediments to President Trump's ability to govern."

TRUMP'S "HUSH MONEY" CASE

Former U.S. President Trump was indicted by a grand jury on March 18, 2023, as part of an investigation conducted by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office into illegal "hush money" payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election.

Trump, who denied the charges against him, began trial in New York on April 15, 2024, and was found guilty by a jury on all 34 counts on May 31, following a 6-week trial.

The U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that former President Trump has "some immunity" regarding his role in the January 6 Capitol riot and allegations of interference in the 2020 presidential election.

The court ruled in a 6-3 vote that the former President has immunity from prosecution for his official acts, but that this immunity does not apply to his private conduct.

Following this, New York Court Judge Juan Merchan announced in a written statement that the sentencing for Trump's hush money case, which was expected to be announced on September 18, had been postponed to November 26, following the November 5 U.S. Presidential election.

If Judge Merchan does not dismiss the hush money case on November 19, Trump's sentence will be announced on November 26.

News Source: AA