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Trump spared jail in sentencing for hush money case
US President-elect Donald Trump has been given a sentence of unconditional discharge on all counts for his conviction over hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
The result means Trump will not face jail time or fines but the sentencing will place a judgment of guilt on his record.
The US Supreme Court paved the way for the sentencing on Thursday when it rejected a last minute request by Trump’s legal team for it to be halted.
It comes just 10 days before his inauguration on January 20.
Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over the trial last year, had already indicated he would not send Trump to jail or fine him.
The 78-year-old appeared at the sentencing with his lawyer, Todd Blanche, via video link. In comments to the court he described the trial as a “very terrible experience”.
“The fact is that I’m totally innocent, I did nothing wrong,” he said. “It’s been a political witch hunt.”
“It was done to damage my reputation so I would lose the election and obviously that didn’t work.”
Justice Merchan said a judge must take into account facts of the case and any circumstances.
“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” he said.
Trump could now pursue an appeal of the conviction, which could take years to play out while he is serving as president.
It’s the latest twist in an unprecedented run of events that have seen him become the first US president to receive a criminal conviction, survive an assassination attempt and another alleged attempt, as well as win a second turn at the presidency after beating Kamala Harris in November.
Trump was charged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in March 2023 with 34 counts of falsifying business records in a bid to cover up payments made by his former lawyer Michael Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Prosecutors claimed the payments were for her silence about a sexual encounter she said she had with Trump – who denied it.
In May last year Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts by a Manhattan jury.
Trump has always insisted the case was a politically motivated witch-hunt against him.
During the trial, Justice Merchan fined Trump for violating a gag order. Trump has referred to him as a “radical partisan” on social media.
The hush money case was the only case against Trump that went to trial ahead of 2024 election.
He has also been accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election results and retaining classified documents after leaving the White House. Trump has pleaded not guilty in all cases.
Falsifying business records in the US is punishable by up to four years in prison, however legal experts believe Trump would have been unlikely to get jail time due to his age and lack of criminal history.
I NEWS