Trump's Legal Team Aims to Invoke Immunity Ruling to Toss Hush Money Ruling
By Jace Dela Cruz
Jul 12, 2024 09:32 AM EDT
Jul 12, 2024 09:32 AM EDT
Donald Trump's legal team is seeking to overturn his conviction related to hush money payments, arguing that Manhattan prosecutors improperly relied on evidence from his official actions as president, according to a report by Reuters.
(Photo : Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
DORAL, FLORIDA - JULY 09: Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Trump National Doral Golf Club on July 09, 2024 in Doral, Florida. Trump continues to campaign across the country.
In a court filing made public on Thursday, Trump's lawyers contended that the guilty verdict should be set aside based on a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.
The defense claimed that evidence presented to the jury, including Trump's conversations with former aide Hope Hicks and certain Twitter posts, was improperly used. They argued that the inclusion of this evidence constituted a structural error under the federal Constitution, necessitating the nullification of the verdict.
Justice Juan Merchan recently postponed Trump's sentencing by two months. This delay followed the defense's assertion that the Supreme Court's ruling, which prevents the prosecution of presidents for official acts, invalidated the use of evidence from Trump's presidency in this case.
Trump's lawyers maintain that the Supreme Court's decision implies that the Manhattan jury's verdict, which included evidence of Trump's official acts, should be vacated. However, legal experts suggest that overturning the conviction might be challenging, as much of the case involves actions taken before Trump assumed the presidency.
© 2024 VCPOST, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Join the Conversation