Legal/Law/Criminal Justice and Reform

‘Totally Innocent’: Trump Unleashes On Judge Merchan During Sentencing Hearing

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaking at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, D.C., May 15, 2024. (Screen Capture/CSPAN)

President-elect Donald Trump stated during Friday ‘s sentencing in his Manhattan case that Judge Juan Merchan caused a “tremendous setback” for the New York court system by holding his sentencing hearing days before he is set to enter office.

The president-elect appeared for his sentencing virtually on Friday after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the New York appeals courts’ rejections to further delay his hearing in a 5-4 decision. Trump stated that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against him has been a “terrible experience” and that he never should have been charged, according to The New York Times.

“This has been a very terrible experience. I think it’s been a tremendous setback for the American court system,” Trump said.

Trump further cited unspecific legal experts who said the case should not have been brought and that he won the 2024 election after the American people witnessed the case “first-hand,” according to the Times.

“I was treated very, very unfairly, and I thank you very much,” Trump concluded.

JUST IN: Trump is speaking to the court – Fox pic.twitter.com/3yxSdCQDdG

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 10, 2025

Merchan sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge, which grants the president-elect no required fine, jail or probation time. The sentence formalizes his status as a convicted felon.

A Manhattan jury convicted Trump on 34 felony counts in May for falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 non-disclosure payment to former porn actress Stormy Daniels, who alleged that the two had an affair in 2006. Trump, who pleaded not guilty, has repeatedly denied Daniel’s claims and added during the Friday sentencing hearing that he is “totally innocent.”