Former President Donald Trump is seeking to overturn his New York hush-money conviction after a recent Supreme Court ruling suggested he has substantial immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office.
On Monday, Trump’s legal team began the process of requesting that a New York judge nullify the jury’s verdict against him. They are also seeking to delay his July 11 sentencing to allow for further briefings and arguments, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Trump’s lawyers are expected to submit a letter to Justice Juan Merchan by Tuesday, formally requesting the conviction be set aside. This letter will detail their arguments for why the verdict should be overturned. Representatives for both Trump and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who prosecuted the case, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that former presidents are protected from prosecution for a wide range of official acts. This decision reversed previous lower court rulings that had denied Trump’s claim of absolute immunity in relation to federal charges from his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The case has been sent back to a federal judge in Washington for further legal examination.
I will respect the limits of presidential powers that I have for three and a half years. But any president, including Donald Trump, will now be free to ignore the law.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 2, 2024
I concur with what Justice Sotomayor wrote today:
"With fear for our democracy—I dissent."
So do I. pic.twitter.com/YmrPBMQhgY
The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to influence other pending criminal cases against Trump. In May, a Manhattan state jury convicted Trump of 34 counts of falsifying business records. These charges stemmed from his directive to former lawyer Michael Cohen to pay $130,000 to adult-film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Trump could face a prison sentence ranging from one year and four months to four years.
