Donald Trump’s sentence in ‘extraordinary’ hush money case revealed
Donald Trump has avoided jail time and penalties in his hush money case sentencing but remains the first felon US president-elect.
New York Judge Juan Merchan on Friday morning sentenced Trump to unconditional discharge for his conviction on 34 charges of falsifying business records linked to a 2016 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Trump, who appeared virtually from Florida, did not react as Merchan concluded the hearing.
‘This has been a truly extraordinary case,’ said Merchan.
‘Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances.’
Merchan noted that the powers of the presidency cannot ‘erase a jury verdict’.
Trump and his lawyer, Todd Blanche, appeared on a screen around 9.30am. Trump wore a dark suit over a white dress shirt and red and white striped tie and sat in front of an American flag.
They smiled as they waited for the proceeding to begin.
‘The fact is, I’m totally innocent,’ said Trump. ‘I did nothing wrong.’
Trump’s legal team managed to delay the sentencing, which was scheduled for July. But On the Supreme Court late Thursday denied Trump’s emergency request to further postpone the sentencing.
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