• elliot_crane@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          I’m being cautiously optimistic here, but I have to admit prison time is probably a long shot. Justice Merchan didn’t want to jail him on his ten instances of contempt, and I can understand wanting to avoid politicizing an already unprecedented trial and handing the defense reason for appeal. Given convicted felon Donald Trump’s behavior however, my personal prediction is something like house arrest and possibly a supervised release schedule. Total bullshit, but I do think Merchan has been playing the long game so that whatever sentence he hands down is airtight and holds up under appeal.

    • very_well_lost@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      A part of me hopes they fine him $130k. Fining him the exact amount he paid Stormy Daniels somehow feels like an even bigger “fuck you” than the maximum possible financial penalty.

    • Dave@lemmy.nz
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      11 months ago

      An analysis I read said NY almost never imprisons a first time fraud offender. If true then it’s pretty unlikely he will be imprisoned at all.

      • Stern@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        On one hand you’re right about first time offenders, but on the other he’s made it clear monetary fines don’t dissuade him (e.g. the ten he got for his truth social attacks on the judge and co.) which could in turn influence the decision regarding jailtime.

        • Peer@discuss.tchncs.de
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          11 months ago

          Not the same crime, the same crime plus tax evasion and making false statements to a federally-insured bank.

        • Dave@lemmy.nz
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          11 months ago

          That’s true. I guess it will come down to the details. Though will be interesting to see if the feasibility of actually sending Trump to prison (and protecting him, without 24/7 solitary confinement) weighs into it.

    • zerofk@lemm.ee
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      11 months ago

      I believe the maximum total is 4 years, not cumulative. And given that it’s his first conviction, and he has a campaign to run, the chance he’ll spend any time in jail at all is slim.

      *edit: OP mentioned concurrently, so they said the same thing. Reading comprehension at 8 AM not booted up yet.