A former Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., suggested that former President Donald Trump is unlikely to receive a prison sentence following his recent conviction.
Vance, speaking in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” indicated that Trump’s sentencing might not include imprisonment, citing the timing of the Republican convention and the upcoming election. He mentioned that Trump’s repeated contempt findings during the trial added complexity to the situation. Vance speculated that the court might postpone sentencing until after the general election.
While Vance acknowledged that Trump’s case was investigated during his tenure, he opted not to prosecute the former president, focusing instead on financial crimes. Trump was ultimately convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records after a six-week trial presided over by New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who scheduled the sentencing for July 11, just before the Republican National Convention.
Trump and his legal team have signaled their intention to appeal the conviction, with Trump urging the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene before the sentencing date. Attorney Will Scharf stated that they were prepared to appeal the conviction to the highest court if necessary. They intend to challenge the jury instructions provided by Justice Merchan and his refusal to recuse himself from the case despite Trump’s motion for recusal being denied.
District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the case against Trump, has not disclosed whether he will pursue a prison sentence. The case alleged that payments made to Stormy Daniels were part of a broader scheme violating campaign finance and tax laws during the 2016 election.
Despite the maximum sentence for falsifying business records being four years imprisonment, legal analysts note that it’s rare for individuals without prior criminal records like Trump to receive prison time for this offense in New York. Those convicted usually serve shorter sentences, often less than a year, and typically for additional crimes like fraud or grand larceny, unlike Trump’s case.
