Trump to sit for probation interview on Monday
Donald Trump is scheduled to participate in a virtual interview with a probation officer from his residence in Florida on Monday, as part of the sentencing procedure following his felony conviction in the New York hush-money case.
As the inaugural former US president to face a criminal conviction, Trump will connect from Mar-a-Lago, accompanied by his attorney Todd Blanche, according to a source familiar with the situation cited by CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
The interview, conducted by a New York City probation officer, will contribute to a pre-sentencing report for Justice Juan Merchan, who is currently deliberating on Trump’s forthcoming penalty.
Last month, Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records and is slated for sentencing on July 11.
A former commissioner for the New York City Department of Correction and Probation, Martin Horn, expressed that it’s uncommon for a probation interview to occur virtually. “It is highly unusual for a pre-sentence investigation interview to be done over Zoom,” Horn told NBC News.
He further noted that Trump’s presence at the courthouse in downtown Manhattan could disrupt other court proceedings, particularly considering the involvement of the Secret Service and media. This, he suggested, could be unfair to other defendants who may prefer to remain unidentified.
“So in the end, this might be better for the probation officer,” he said.
Convicts in the New York Court system do not usually have their lawyers present for probation interviews, according to the Associated Press.
However, Judge Merchan has allowed Mr Blanche to appear alongside his client on Monday.
Pre-sentencing reports include information about a convict’s personal life, criminal history, financial means, health condition and overall living arrangement.
They are used by the judge to inform what punishment should be given.
The interview is often an opportunity for a convict to argue for leniency in the sentence.
Jurors found Trump guilty of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments made to former porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election campaign.
Most legal commentators believe that Trump is unlikely to face any jail time, given his lack of criminal history and age.
Trump is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. He has repeatedly claimed without evidence that the prosecution in New York is politically motivated and an attempt to prevent him from retaking the White House in November’s election.
He has also said he will appeal the conviction.
