Trump scheduled for pre-sentencing interview Monday after conviction for silence – KION546

Lina Portman4 weeks ago

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By Kaitlan Collins, John Miller and Lauren del Valle, CNN

(CNN) — Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a preliminary hearing with a probation officer Monday following his conviction last month in his secret trial, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The interview will be virtual and, as CNN previously reported, Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche will be in attendance. Typically, a convicted defendant meets with a probation officer without an attorney.

Monday's pre-sentencing interview, which was first reported by NBC News, will be part of the report the Probation Department will submit to Judge Juan Merchan to help decide on Trump's punishment before he is sentenced , scheduled for July 11.

Last month, a Manhattan jury found Trump — the presumptive GOP presidential nominee — guilty of all 34 counts in his secret trial, making him the first former president to be convicted of a crime.

Trump is not required to cooperate with the pre-sentencing investigation, but a judge can draw a negative inference from a defendant's lack of cooperation with the process.

At the pre-sentencing hearing, a defendant is typically asked about their conviction and other basic background information such as their employment and criminal history.

As part of the process, Trump's legal team may submit letters of support to Merchan from friends and family. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office will also submit a memo telling the judge what sentence it believes is appropriate for Trump.

Merchan could sentence Trump to probation or up to four years in state prison on each count, with a maximum of 20 years.

Prosecutors never sought to keep Trump in custody, so the former president is free pending sentencing.

This story has been updated with additional details.