Trump hush money case postponed indefinitely

Sentencing in US President-elect Donald Trump's hush money payment to a New York porn star has been postponed indefinitely.

New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchant, who oversaw the proceedings, announced the indefinite postponement of the trial over Trump's hush money in a letter on November 22, a move the president-elect's team described as a "decisive victory" as Trump prepares to return to the White House, according to AFP.

"The application for a general stay of sentencing is granted in the event that 26 November 2024 is postponed," Mr Merchant said.

US President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting at the US House of Representatives in Washington DC on November 13, 2024

In late May, Mr. Trump was indicted by a New York jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to a porn star before the 2016 election. This was the first time a sitting U.S. president had been convicted or charged with a crime. Mr. Trump has denied all charges.

Prosecutors in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office had asked Judge Merchan to consider postponing all proceedings in the case until after Trump's four-year presidential term ends on January 20, 2025, according to Reuters. Bragg's office said it would oppose an indefinite postponement, but agreed Trump deserved time to present his case in writing.

Judge Merchan determined that Mr. Trump must file a formal motion to dismiss by December 2, and gave prosecutors until December 9 to respond. Judge Merchan did not set a new sentencing date or say how long the trial would be delayed.

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President-elect Trump's lawyers argued that the case "must be dismissed" because it could pose "unconstitutional obstacles" to his ability to govern as president. "In a decisive victory for President Trump, the Manhattan fraud case is now completely dismissed and sentencing has been postponed," said Steven Cheung, communications director for President-elect Trump.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vu-an-tien-bit-mieng-cua-ong-trump-bi-hoan-vo-thoi-han-185241123075123538.htm