Nov. 12 (UPI) — A New York Supreme Court justice will decide Tuesday if President-elect Donald Trump’s sentencing will move forward later this month.
Judge Juan Merchan gave himself a Tuesday deadline to announce his decision after pushing sentencing until after the election. Sentencing is currently scheduled for Nov. 26.
Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts in May for falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. He allegedly paid Daniels $130,000 to stay quiet about their affair.
Sentencing was originally slated for July 11. Merchan moved the date back as Trump campaigned for the presidency. The Republican National Convention took place four days after the original sentencing date.
Ahead of the next scheduled date, Sept. 18, Merchan announced sentencing would stay on hold until after the election.
If Trump’s conviction holds up, he will be the first convicted felon in the office of the president. He faces up to four years in prison.
David S. Weinstein, an attorney with Jones Walker in Miami and former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of Florida, shed some light on what Trump’s sentencing will look like in an interview with UPI.
“While the former and future president is facing jail time, we’re not talking about years. We’re talking about months or weeks,” Weinstein said. “If anything it would be a long probationary sentence, house arrest or home confinement. The sentence is likely to be suspended as that case winds its way through the appellate court system.”
