Donald Trump completes pre-sentencing interview in hush-money case
The former president was questioned by a New York City probation officer for a report, required by law, that trial Judge Juan M. Merchan can use to help determine Trump’s sentence when he is sentenced on July 11 in his hush-money criminal case.
Donald Trump completed his mandatory preselection interview on Monday after less than 30 minutes of routine, uneventful questioning, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and did so on condition of anonymity.
The former president was questioned by a New York City probation officer for a report, required by law, that trial Judge Juan M. Merchan can use in determining Trump’s sentence when he is sentenced on July 11 in his criminal hush-money payment case.
Monday’s interview was conducted privately via video conferencing. According to state law, the resulting report — which could also include information about Trump’s convictions, his social, family and employment history, and his education and financial situation — will remain confidential unless the judge allows it to be released publicly.
Copies will be provided to Trump’s lawyers and prosecutors, but that usually happens just before sentencing. Both sides can also submit their own papers to Marchen outlining how they think Trump should be punished.
Merchant has discretion to impose a range of sentences, ranging from probation and a fine to up to four years in prison, after Trump pleaded guilty on May 30 to falsifying business records to conceal a potential sex scandal.
After refusing to testify in the trial, Trump was legally required to participate in Monday’s presentence interview — which he did via video from his residence at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, accompanied by his attorney, Todd Blanch.
There were complaints that the arrangement was giving special treatment to a high-profile defendant, but city officials argued that was not the case, and said such benefits were available to anyone who appeared for a presentence interview.
Generally, people convicted of crimes in New York meet face-to-face with probation officers for their required presentence interviews and are not allowed to have a lawyer with them. After Blanch objected to Trump being asked to answer questions alone, Merchan allowed a defense lawyer to sit in on Trump’s interview.
The city’s public prosecutors on Monday criticized the “special arrangement” made for Trump and urged the Probation Department to “ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of their income, status or class, have an equal opportunity before sentencing.”
“All people convicted of crimes should be allowed a lawyer at their probation interview, not just billionaires,” the city’s four public defense organizations said in a statement. “This is just another example of our two-tiered system of justice.”
“Pre-sentencing interviews with probation officers impact sentencing, and public defenders are deprived of the opportunity to attend these meetings with their clients,” said a statement from the Legal Aid Society, Bronx Defenders, New York County Defender Services, and Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem. “The option to attend these interviews virtually is not typically given to the people we represent.”
A spokesperson for the city, which runs the probation department, said defendants have had the option to conduct their presentence interviews via video since before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. All defendants can also request to have their attorneys present for the interview, as long as the judge in their case signs off.
“Trump is not being given any special treatment,” Davila-Richards said. “He’s being treated the same way anyone convicted of a crime would be treated. It’s just because he’s so high-profile that everybody is making him out to be bigger than he really is.”
A message was left with a spokesman for the state court system seeking comment.
Presentence reports are prepared to assist the trial judge in determining the appropriate sentence for a person convicted of a crime. Such reports are usually prepared by a probation officer, social worker, or psychologist working for the probation department who interviews the defendant and possibly that person’s family and friends, as well as people affected by the crime.
Along with the defendant’s personal history and criminal record, they often contain a sentencing recommendation. The interview is also a chance for the defendant to say why they think they deserve a lighter sentence, and the city’s probation department encourages defendants to provide documentation they think will be helpful in the process.
The jury convicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records in what prosecutors said was an attempt to hide a payment of money to porn actress Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election. She claims she had a sexual relationship with Trump a decade ago, which Trump denies.
Trump, the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, has vowed to appeal his conviction – though by law he must wait until sentencing to do so. He maintains he is innocent of any crime and says the case was brought to harm his chances of regaining the White House.
#Donald #Trump #completes #presentencing #interview #hushmoney #case
