In an unprecedented turn of events, former President Donald Trump, who is also a leading GOP presidential candidate, is slated to have a virtual meeting with a New York City probation officer from his Mar-a-Lago residence, as reported by The Post Millennial.
This meeting is a precursor to his sentencing hearing, which is due to take place in the Manhattan courtroom of Judge Juan Merchan on July 11.
Following this meeting, the probation officer will present recommendations to Judge Merchan concerning Trump's sentencing. Trump was found guilty on 34 felony charges related to the falsification of business records, a conviction that many conservatives argue was politically motivated. The probation officer's pre-sentencing report will be submitted to the court prior to the July 11 hearing, a mere four days before the Republican National Convention. At this convention, the Republican party is expected to officially nominate Trump as their presidential candidate to run against the incumbent, Joe Biden.
Martin Horn, the former commissioner of the NYC Department of Corrections and Probation, expressed to NBC News that conducting a pre-sentence investigation interview over Zoom is "highly unusual." He further noted that having Trump appear at the probation office located on the 10th floor of the Criminal Court Building in Manhattan, where his trial was held, could be "very disruptive" due to the accompanying Secret Service and press.
Trump's legal team plans to appeal the case, which could result in a range of outcomes for Trump, from probation to a four-year state prison sentence. Trump, the first president or former president to face criminal charges, has stated he would be "okay with it" if he were sentenced to jail time.
In a recent development, Judge Merchan disclosed in a letter to Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, and the prosecutors that a comment had been made prior to the jury verdict. A man claiming to be a juror's cousin alleged that she had informed him Trump would be convicted. If this claim is substantiated, it could indicate jury misconduct, a valid reason for declaring a mistrial. Trump, who is currently under a gag order due to the case and has already been fined $10,000 for violation, awaits the unfolding of these events.
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