By Abiola Olawale
The President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump has received a relief in his ongoing New York hush money trial.
This is as New York Judge Juan Merchan delayed Trump’s November 26 sentencing date in his criminal hush money case.
According to a brief order issued on Friday, the judge said this is to allow the defence to file a motion to dismiss the case, which he said is due by December 2.
In the order, Merchan set new deadlines in early December for Trump’s lawyers and prosecutors to make their arguments about whether the case should be dismissed in light of his being elected president.
According to the order, the defense must file by December 2 and the prosecution has until December 9 to respond.
However, the judge failed to schedule a new date for sentencing. Trump is scheduled to be sworn in as president on January 20.
The New Diplomat reports that though Trump had been scheduled to be sentenced on November 26, his attorneys argued that the sentencing hearing — and the entire case — should be “immediately dismissed” because of presidential immunity protections, which they contend are already in place as a result of his “overwhelming victory” on Election Day.
Trump was found guilty on all charges in his New York “hush money” trial.
A jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence before the 2016 presidential election.
