trump judge sentences him in historic case

 

Trump sentenced in New York hush-money case days before taking office

Donald Trump avoids jail time or a fine, but the US president-elect’s criminal conviction will be on his record.

Donald Trump has become the first former United States president ever sentenced for a crime.

But the US president-elect avoided penalties for his conviction for falsifying business documents in relation to hush-money payments made to an adult film actress.

Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to an “unconditional discharge” on Friday, a day after the US Supreme Court rejected an attempt by Trump’s legal team to delay the sentencing, which took place before the Republican leader’s inauguration on January 20.

The decision means that Trump’s conviction will appear on his permanent record, but he does not face imprisonment, a fine or probation — leaving him unencumbered to enter the White House.

Trump, who previously served as president from 2017 to 2021, was found guilty in late May on 34 counts of falsifying business documents related to a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels, among other things.

The US president-elect has denied any wrongdoing and said he plans to appeal his conviction.

Summary

• US President-elect Donald Trump has been sentenced to "unconditional discharge", meaning he is spared jail time and a fine

• He appeared stony-faced sitting alongside his lawyer via video link in a New York courtroom, our reporter in court writes

• The prosecution requested no prison, probation or fine as a sentence - exactly what the judge ruled

• Trump said this has been a "terrible experience" and he is "totally innocent" while his attorney said the charges never should have been brought

• Judge Merchan called it an "extraordinary case" and a paradox with a lot of attention but ordinary court proceedings

• Last May, Trump was convicted on 34 counts relating to hush money paid to adult-film star Stormy Daniels and how the payments were later reimbursed

• Read Anthony Zurcher's analysis now that the historic trial has come to an end

00:35

Media caption,

Listen to Trump defend himself in court at sentencing

Live Reporting

Edited by Brandon Livesay in New York with Kayla Epstein and Madeline Halpert reporting from court

1. Trump gets unconditional discharge in historic sentencingpublished at 23:03 10 January

   23:03 10 January

   Madeline Halpert
   Reporting from court

   Image source,Getty Images

   Today's short hearing marked the end of a long legal saga and an eventful eight week trial from all the way back in May of last year.

   It's been months since Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records - and it was uncertain if his sentencing would happen after he won the 2024 presidential election.

   But today, Justice Juan Merchan said it was important to be able to wrap up the case and finalise the conviction of a former president.

   He told the court that he had to weigh this conviction with Trump's upcoming White House term, leading him to sentence Trump to an unconditional discharge - meaning no jail time, fine or probation.

   Trump used today to speak to the court for the first time (via a video link from Florida), protesting that the case was "unfair" from the start.

   You can read more of our coverage of today here: Trump avoids prison or fine in hush-money case sentencing.

   We're now finishing our live coverage. Thanks for joining us.

2. Merchan's decision likely helped Supreme Court to make up its mindpublished at 22:58 10 January

   22:58 10 January

   Kayla Epstein
   Reporting from court

   Justice Juan Merchan had already announced he would give Donald Trump an unconditional discharge ahead of today's sentencing. And that may have led to the US Supreme Court allowing the sentencing to proceed, said John Coffee, a professor at Columbia University Law School.

   "Any restriction on Trump's speech, movement or other conduct was subject to the interpretation that Trump was being constrained as the US president," he told me via email.

   The Supreme Court's brief decision, he points out, emphasised that the sentence would not constrain Trump in any meaningful way.

   By issuing a more lenient sentence, Merchan also allowed the case to conclude rather than drag the process out for several more years.

   "I would favour lenience to get the conviction finalised," Coffee said.

   But was what happened to Trump typical of a defendant who faced the same charges - and who had acted the way he did by breaking a gag order?

   "No," Coffee said. "Of course not."

3. Trump on trialpublished at 22:54 10 January

   22:54 10 January

   BBC's New York correspondent Nada Tawfik covered the entire Donald Trump hush money trial, and she reflected on the case in a special programme on BBC iPlayer.

   UK audiences can watch that programme here.

4. What restrictions does Trump face as a felon?published at 22:48 10 January

   22:48 10 January

   Madeline Halpert
   Reporting from court

   With Trump's sentencing complete, he is considered a felon unless his conviction is overturned.

   As a felon, he's subject to several restrictions, including not being allowed to own a gun, former Brooklyn prosecutor Julie Rendelman says.

   He can still vote in Florida - which restores the right to vote for felons in most cases after they've completed their sentences.

   Trump will also have to give a DNA sample for the New York state's crime database, as all felons there are required to do.

   But he will have no restrictions on travel, unlike some felons do, because he will hold a diplomatic passport as the future president of the US.

5. What happened to Trump’s other legal cases?published at 22:38 10 January

   22:38 10 January

   Since Donald Trump won the White House, many of his legal issues have begun to disappear.

   Special Counsel Jack Smith asked to dismiss the two cases against Trump - one involving his handling of classified documents, and another involving his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

   Smith, who was appointed by attorney general Merrick Garland to investigate Trump, said in court filings that he requested the dismissals because the Justice Department is banned from prosecuting a sitting president, and not because of anything having to do with the substance of the cases.

   Trump still faces charges in Georgia over alleged election subversion efforts in the state, but that case is stalled.

   The lead prosecutor, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, was kicked off of the case over a romantic relationship she had with a prosecutor she hired.

   • Read more: Special counsel's last criminal case against Trump dismissed

6. Judge Merchan took 'thoughtful' approach to case - expertpublished at 22:12 10 January

   22:12 10 January

   Madeline Halpert
   Reporting from court

   Experts say Justice Juan Merchan faced a unique and difficult task deciding how to proceed with Trump's sentencing after the American people elected him to return to the White House.

   University of Michigan Law School professor Barbara McQuade says Merchan's approach was "a thoughtful balance of three competing values: a president’s ability to fulfil his constitutional duties, the rule of law, and deference to a jury’s verdict".

   "The Supreme Court agreed that Donald Trump gets no free pass just because he is president-elect. Although Trump will not serve any prison time, history will record that he is a convicted felon," she says.

   Julie Rendelman, a former Brooklyn prosecutor, says today's hearing went as expected.

   "Merchan’s comments were unsurprisingly succinct and focused only on the case before him and the jury’s verdict. He avoided playing into the political noise surrounding the case," she says.

7. Listen to Trump's statement in courtpublished at 21:53 10 January

   21:53 10 January

   As we reported earlier, Donald Trump spoke in court for the first time during this trial.

   He is in Florida, but appeared via video link in the New York courtroom.

   He spoke for a few minutes, claiming his innocence and protesting the case.

   "It's been a political witch hunt", he said, before talking about his election win.

   You can listen below:

   00:35

   Media caption,

   Listen to Trump defend himself in court at sentencing

8. Trump's last remaining criminal case is going nowhere fastpublished at 21:36 10 January

   21:36 10 January

   Kayla Epstein
   Reporting from court

   With the Manhattan hush money case concluded and his two federal indictments dismissed because of his upcoming presidency, only one of the four prosecutions of Donald Trump remains.

   But it's unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon, and its fate is very uncertain.

   Trump and several co-conspirators were charged in Fulton County, Georgia for an alleged criminal conspiracy to overturn the state's 2020 election results.

   Trump was indicted in August 2023 and had his mugshot taken in an Atlanta jail, where he pleaded not guilty.

   But the case has been mired in legal delays and side plots that have, for now, rendered it defunct. Trump is also protected from state prosecutions while he is president, though he cannot issue a pardon for himself here.

   Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was removed from the case by a Georgia appeals court in December, after lawyers representing some of Trump's co-defendants brought forth allegations of a romantic relationship with one of the attorneys on her prosecution team.

   The case will now be reassigned in a political fraught and uncertain process.

   • Read more: Fulton County DA Fani Willis disqualified from Trump case

9. Court sketch shows Trump and judgepublished at 21:23 10 January

   21:23 10 January

   Image source,Jane Rosenberg / Reuters

   Court artist Jane Rosenberg has just shared the above sketch of today's proceedings.

   It shows Donald Trump and his lawyer Todd Blanche on a screen, they are in Florida and were addressing the court via a video link.

   It also shows Justice Juan Merchan at his bench.

10. What did we learn from court today?published at 21:08 10 January

    21:08 10 January

    Image source,Getty Images

    In a hearing that lasted just over 30 minutes, a president-elect was sentenced in court for the first time ever.

    Donald Trump will now serve as the first president with a felony conviction.

    Here's what happened in the Manhattan courtroom:

    • President-elect, Donald Trump, was sentenced to unconditional discharge on all 34 charges. He won't face jail, fines or probation
    • Judge Juan Merchan says it's the "only lawful sentence" given the circumstances of Trump taking office in 10 days time

    • Appearing via video link, Trump spoke for the first time in this trial
    • He claimed he is innocent, and that it has been a "very terrible experience"
    • Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told the court that Trump caused "enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system", but acknowledged the need to wrap up the case
    • In a post online after the sentencing, Trump called the trial a "despicable charade" and said he will appeal

11. Trump attacks case on social media and says he will appealpublished at 20:44 10 January

    20:44 10 January

    President-elect Donald Trump has just written a lengthy post on Truth Social.

    "The Radical Democrats have lost another pathetic, unAmerican Witch Hunt," Donald Trump says.

    Trump directly addresses his sentence of an unconditional discharge, which means he does not receive any fines or jail time despite being found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records.

    The president-elect says this "result alone proves that, as all Legal Scholars and Experts have said, THERE IS NO CASE, THERE WAS NEVER A CASE, and this whole Scam fully deserves to be DISMISSED".

    "Today’s event was a despicable charade, and now that it is over, we will appeal this Hoax," Trump adds.

    During sentencing only about 40 minutes ago, the judge said he chose the sentence as it was "the most viable solution” in such an unprecedented situation - with Trump mere days away from taking office.

    Justice Merchan said an unconditional disharge was the "only lawful sentence, without encroaching upon the highest office in the land".
12. 

    Trump's case finishes with no fine or jail time, and a 'godspeed' message from the judgepublished at 20:31 10 January

    20:31 10 January

    Anthony Zurcher
    BBC North America correspondent

    Donald Trump’s sentencing made for a jarring juxtaposition.

    Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass reviewed what he called the “overwhelming evidence” behind Trump’s criminal conviction and detailed how the president-elect had shown “disdain for our institutions and the rule of law” before, during and after the trial.

    He said Trump had “caused enduring damage to public perception for the criminal justice system” and put court officers in danger.

    And for that, Steinglass concluded, he should receive no formal punishment.

    In their response Trump and his lawyer were predictable. Both questioned the motivations and timing behind the president-elect’s prosecution, calling it election interference.

    Both pointed to Trump’s victory in November as vindication. And Trump again asserted his innocence, saying he had been treated “very, very unfairly”.

    When it came time for Justice Juan Merchan to hand down his sentence, he – perhaps unexpectedly – did not condemn the president-elect’s behaviour. Instead, he dwelled on how the protections and immunities Trump has been afforded came from the office of presidency and not from Trump as a private citizen or a criminal defendant.

    But the protections are there. And it means that Trump, convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, was sent on his way Friday morning with a simple “godspeed” from the judge, rather than any jail time or fine.

13. Why did sentencing Trump take so long?published at 20:23 10 January

    20:23 10 January

    Madeline Halpert
    Reporting from court

    Donald Trump was convicted of falsifying business records last May – but his sentencing for the felony conviction was pushed back several times.

    Initially, Trump was scheduled to be sentenced in July, but Justice Juan Merchan decided to push the date back after a ruling from the Supreme Court declaring that presidents are immune from prosecution for official acts.

    Merchan said he needed time to review the ruling.

    Another date was set for September, but Merchan decided to push the sentencing back until after the presidential election, which Trump eventually won.

    After even more legal back and forth, Merchan set a date of 10 January, today, for the sentencing - just before Trump is set to take office.

14. What it looked like in the courtroompublished at 20:17 10 January

    20:17 10 January

    Image source,Reuters

    During the trial, Donald Trump sat at this same table flanked by his team of lawyers. In the first row behind him was usually at least one family member and various Republicans - there to support him.

    Today, only one lawyer sat at that desk - Emile Bove.

    Beside him, a TV screen showing Donald Trump and his lawyer Todd Blanche.

15. Historic hearing comes to an endpublished at 20:11 10 January

    20:11 10 January

    Madeline Halpert
    Reporting from court

    And with that, the relatively anti-climactic hearing has come to an end.

    The video feed has cut out and we can no longer see Trump's face. Reporters are now being asked to leave the court.

    But stick with us, we could soon hear more from some of the major players in this case. And we'll bring you further analysis on what this all means.

16. President-elect Donald Trump sentencedpublished at 20:08 10 January

    20:08 10 JanuaryBreaking

    Madeline Halpert
    Reporting from court

    Merchan has just given Trump his sentence: unconditional discharge on all 34 charges, as expected.

    “I wish you godspeed as you assume your second term in office," he says.

    Merchan tells the court that he has determined that unconditional discharge is “the only lawful sentence, without encroaching upon the highest office of the land”.

    An unconditional discharge means Trump does not face any fines, probation or jail time.

17. Trump reminded of unsuccessful immunity bidpublished at 20:08 10 January

    20:08 10 January

    Kayla Epstein
    Reporting from court

    Justice Merchan acknowledges the issue of presidential immunity - but also lays out for Donald Trump the parameters of those protections.

    Though the protections for the office are "extraordinary", he said, "one power they do not provide is the power to erase a jury verdict”.

    Trump has argued a very broad view of presidential immunity to try and get this case dismissed or the sentencing stopped. Those efforts have been unsuccessfull.

18. 'Truly extraordinary case', judge sayspublished at 20:05 10 January

    20:05 10 JanuaryBreaking

    Madeline Halpert
    Reporting from court

    Justice Juan Merchan is now addressing the court.

    He says he plans to explain why he is giving Trump a sentence of an unconditional discharge, and why he told him so beforehand. That would mean no prison time, fine, or probation.

    “Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” Merchan says, calling it a “truly extraordinary case”.

    He says the trial was a paradox - because outside the courtroom, it garnered much media attention, but once the courtroom doors were closed, it was no more unique than all the other cases taking place at the same time.

19. Trump claims he faced unfair treatment as he ends speechpublished at 20:04 10 January

    20:04 10 January

    Kayla Epstein
    Reporting from court

    Image source,Reuters

    Trump wraps up his several minutes of self defence by once again highlighting his election win, and claims weaponisation of the justice system and what he calls "lawfare".

    “I would like to explain that I was treated very, very unfairly, and I thank you very much," Trump tells Justice Merchan.

20. District attorney gives a slight chuckle when Trump mentions himpublished at 20:02 10 January

    20:02 10 January

    Madeline Halpert
    Reporting from court

    As Trump speaks, repeating many of the same arguments we’ve heard before, District Attorney Alvin Bragg is watching his face on the screen quietly from the second row of the courtroom.

    Bragg chuckles ever so slightly when Trump claims that the district attorney did not even want to bring the case against him.

    During the trial, Trump often spoke outside the courtroom and criticised Bragg for charging him with falsifying business records.

    But this is the first chance he's had to say it directly to Bragg's face, even if it's via a video link.

    Bragg has remained expressionless for much of Trump’s speech, his hands folded in front of him.

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