President-elect Donald Trump's criminal conviction in state court remained on the books Monday, with a New York judge rejecting Trump's attempt to throw out the case based on a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Justice Juan Merchan found that a July Supreme Court decision Trump's presidential immunity for official acts did not prevent a jury from convicting him following a criminal trial this spring.
Marchan wrote that the evidence shown at trial was related to “grossly unprofessional conduct” beyond the scope of the Supreme Court's decision, which he described as narrow.
Marchan wrote, “If an error was made regarding the introduction of challenged evidence, such error was harmless in light of the overwhelming evidence of guilt.”
was a merchant Expected to rule on November 12 On whether presidential immunity should have prevented jurors from seeing some evidence in Trump's trial this spring, he postponed his decision. Merchan said at the time that he wanted to hear from prosecutors about how to proceed with the case, which moves into uncharted territory if Trump is re-elected president.
Trump has since filed another motion to dismiss the case, arguing that it is needed for his upcoming return to the White House.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's prosecutors are fighting that effort, saying there is no law that requires the state's case to be dismissed after a conviction because the defendant was elected to the presidency.
Trump is the first person in American history to win the presidency after being convicted of crimes. He was also the first former President face trial for crimes,
A A unanimous jury found him guilty Felony committed in May. week later, The Supreme Court ruled that the former president is immune From prosecution for official acts. The country's highest court said in that decision that evidence related to Trump's work as president cannot be used in the trial.
Trump's lawyers argued The Supreme Court's decision meant that the conviction should be quashedAnd the indictment was dismissed. He argued that his trial included testimony from former White House staffers that should have been withheld.
Bragg's office opposed the motion to dismiss, saying that the testimony in question was one piece of evidence in the case.
Merchan wrote in his decision that Trump's lawyers failed to object to testimony he considered improperly admitted during the hearing.
The jury found that Trump committed 34 crimes In authorizing a scheme to conceal reimbursements Michael CohenHis former lawyer and fixer. Cohen paid adult film star $130,000 stormy danielsIn exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump, days before the 2016 presidential election.
Trump pleaded not guilty and strongly denied Daniels' story. Trump has promised to appeal the sentence. He is able to appeal separately against Marchan's decision on presidential immunity.