Amid ongoing legal battles, former U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to dismiss his criminal case.
According to Deseret News, Trump's legal team seeks dismissal of his criminal case, citing presidential immunity per a Supreme Court ruling, with sentencing still scheduled for September 18.
Trump's legal team, headed by attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, filed a motion to vacate the guilty verdicts from a Manhattan criminal case. The former President was convicted on 34 counts linked to payments made to silence allegations of an extramarital encounter during his campaign.
The defense's argument rests on a June Supreme Court ruling that affords certain protections to former presidents regarding actions taken during their tenure. They claim the case improperly included evidence from Trump's time in office, thus violating presidential immunity protections.
The sentence in this high-profile case was initially scheduled for Thursday, but it has been postponed until September 18, after the Republican National Convention.
This delay followed an agreement between the prosecution and defense, factoring in the recent judicial interpretations of presidential immunity.
The defense argues that the case, which drew upon Trump’s social media posts and testimonies from former officials, was flawed. They cite "structural errors" due to the inclusion of evidence related to official acts during Trump's presidency.
Alvin Hellerstein, the judge overseeing the case, has noted that the payments at the heart of the case seemed to be a personal attempt to cover up an embarrassing event rather than an act within the scope of presidential duties.
District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office has been given a deadline of July 24 to respond to the motion seeking dismissal of the charges. This legal battle highlights the ongoing tension between holding a former president accountable and respecting the legal protections afforded to the presidential office.
In order to vindicate the presidential immunity doctrine, and protect the interests implicated by its underpinnings, the jury’s verdicts must be vacated and the indictment dismissed.
The outcome of this motion could set significant legal precedents regarding the extent of presidential immunity post-office. It adds another layer of complexity to the already intricate legal narrative surrounding former President Trump.
The use of evidence from a president's tenure in office has sparked a debate on where to draw the line between personal and official acts. Judge Hellerstein’s stance suggests the judiciary may not always align with expansive interpretations of presidential immunity, especially in cases perceived as personal.
Former President Donald Trump seeks to dismiss his criminal case, citing a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity. Trump's legal team argues that the case improperly included evidence from his time in office, violating presidential immunity protections. The sentencing, initially scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed until September 18 to consider these legal arguments.
