Donald TrumpThe defendants’ criminal convictions have officially gone into legal limbo as prosecutors try to decide how to respond to his election victory.

Over the weekend, the new president’s lawyers asked the court to halt a pair of scheduled hearings, including an immunity hearing and a sentencing hearing, in the New York hush money case in light of Trump’s re-election.

Prosecutors agree to one-week delay while deciding their next steps, NBC News reported.

“The public agrees that these are unprecedented circumstances and the allegations made must be carefully evaluated,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said in a letter to the judge.

The letter stated that the court must decide how to balance the interests of the Office of the President with the conflicting interests of a guilty verdict by a jury in a criminal case “with a presumption of regularity.”

Trump was planned to be prisoner On November 26, a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal involving the former adult film star. Stormy Daniels. This was the first time a former president was convicted of a crime.

The 34 felonies carry sentences of up to four years in prison, and one report suggests Trump would be likely to go to Rikers Island if he were a regular defendant. analysis similar cases New York Times.

But the Department of Justice has a problem. policy Sitting presidents are not expected to be sued, and state courts are generally expected to follow suit, though not necessarily.

Trump’s lawyers have already argued that the case should be dismissed outright because of presidential immunity or moved to federal court, where Trump could likely be tried. forgive itself.

A hearing on the immunity claim was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but that was when Trump was a former president, not the president-elect.

Now prosecutors have asked the court to give them until November 19 to submit a motion stating what they think should happen next. Judge Juan Merchan’s clerk wrote a response saying the court agreed.

If prosecutors seek prison time, they would raise a complex set of constitutional questions about whether a state court can punish the president-elect. Some legal experts say at least Trump’s lawyers would suggest that Trump could not face prison time until he leaves office in 2029, suggesting it is unlikely he will remain in office at any time. to guess.

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