Court rejects request to overturn verdict in Trump bribery case
Photo: US President-elect Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The New York State Supreme Court refused to overturn the jury's verdict. Earlier, they found US President-elect Donald Trump guilty in the hush money case, according to CNN.
Judge Juan Merchan rejected the argument of Trump's lawyers, who insisted that the case against Trump falls under presidential immunity, and this allegedly exempts him from liability.
At the same time, the prosecution stated that the case concerns Trump's behavior, not his official actions as president. That is why Trump does not have immunity.
“This Court concludes that if error occurred regarding the introduction of the challenged evidence, such error was harmless in light of the overwhelming evidence of guilt,” the court said in its decision.
The court did not set a new date for Trump's sentencing. It is likely that Trump's team will try to appeal this decision and overturn the jury's verdict, as they deny his guilt.
Background
Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, was at the center of a scandal over a $130,000 payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 presidential election. This amount was paid for her silence about their alleged intimate encounter in 2006. The payment was made by Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, who later pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance rules, saying he had acted on Trump's instructions.
In April 2023, Trump was criminally charged in connection with this payment. This made him the first former US president to face criminal charges. However, Trump denies any wrongdoing, claiming that the payment was legal and not related to his election campaign.
New York prosecutors are ready to postpone sentencing Donald Trump in the case of a bribe for the silence of a porn actress. Even if they have to wait until 2029 when Trump's second presidential term ends.
