Trump’s Felony Sentencing: Why It Still Matters Amid the Chaos of His PresidencyTrump’s Felony Sentencing: Why It Still Matters Amid the Chaos of His Presidency

As the first weeks of President Donald J. Trump’s presidency devolve into chaos within the federal government, the Next Witness…Please podcast takes a retrospective look at Trump’s felony sentencing in New York and why it is still important. Retired judges Gayle Williams-Byers and Thomas Hodson talk about the reasoning used by Judge Juan Merchan for his sentence, the sentencing proceeding itself and the Supreme Court decision leading up to the sentencing. Our hosts define, in understandable terms, what an “unconditional discharge” is and explain the importance of a “final appealable order” in the 34 felony convictions. A sentencing of Trump had to take place before Trump’s legal team could appeal the case to the next level court of appeals in New York. Our retired judges also examine the 5-4 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that allowed the sentencing to proceed just days before Trump’s inauguration. The Court ruling against Trump was a surprise to many observers who expected the super conservative majority to side with President Trump. Our hosts also discuss how President Trump cannot pardon himself for state committed felonies and why that matters. Finally, they delve into how Trump, even at a state court level, got special treatment that other criminal defendants would never receive.