The judge wrote in his 18-page order that it “seems appropriate to indicate that the court would not be inclined to impose a sentence of incarceration” even if such a “sentence is incurred in the sentencing.”
On May 30, Donald Trump, 45th American president, was the first former tenant of the White House to be criminally convicted in the history of the country.
The jury of the Manhattan court, dependent on the local justice of the State of New York, had found him guilty of 34 counts of hidden payments to a porn star, Stormy Daniels, made just before the presidential election of 2016, which he won.
According to the courts, this woman, real name Stephanie Clifford, was hiding a brief sexual encounter in 2006 while Donald Trump was married to Melania.
The person concerned denies any sexual relationship with Stormy Daniels.
After months of appeals and the election won on November 5, the Trump camp failed to overturn this historic verdict on the basis of presidential immunity which was extended on July 1 by a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Under enormous political pressure, Judge Merchan had postponed the sentencing several times since May 30, especially since the presidential victory.
“Breach” of presidential immunity
A spokesperson for Donald Trump denounced on Friday a “breach” of presidential immunity after the future US president was ordered to appear on January 10 to hear his sentence in the case of hidden payments to the porn star Stormy Daniels.
This decision “is a direct attack on the Supreme Court’s decision regarding presidential immunity,” said spokesperson Steven Cheung in a statement sent to AFP, referring to the decision of the American high court which recognized in July a very broad presumption of immunity for the President of the United States.
