Sentencing of Trump postponed three weeks after presidential election

(Patria) - The sentencing of Donald Trump in the case of payment of money to a porn star has been postponed until after the presidential election in November, the BBC reports.

Trump's lawyers have used several legal maneuvers to postpone the sentencing, originally scheduled for September 18.

Juan Merchan, a judge of the Supreme Court of New York, postponed the sentencing yesterday and scheduled it for November 26.

He cited the unique timeframe in which this issue currently finds itself as one of the reasons for the postponement.

He wrote that the case requires "a sentencing that is fully focused on the jury's decision.

- Their verdict must be respected and approached in a way that is not diluted by the gravity of the upcoming presidential election - Merchan stated, agreeing to postpone the sentencing to exactly three weeks after the election on November 5.

Trump's lawyers requested the postponement, and later unsuccessfully attempted to move the case to federal court for a second time.

A New York jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying documents in May. This is the first case where a current or former US president has been convicted of a crime.

Trump potentially faces up to four years in prison, but Judge Merchan also has the option to impose a fine, probation, or a shorter prison sentence.