Former President Trump will sit down for a virtual interview with a New York City probation officer from his Mar-a-Lago home on Monday, accompanied by his attorney, Todd Blanche. Hush was found guilty on all counts in the money court Three sources familiar with the matter told NBC News last month.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, was indicted last month on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the United States. historical event. The probation interview is required by the court as part of the former president’s pre-sentence report.
Judge Juan Mercan, who presided over the hush money case, allowed Blanche to participate in a probation interview after prosecutors did not object. Trump’s defense team is scheduled to present its sentencing recommendation on June 13.
It is planned to have a former president was convicted For all 34 murders in New York on July 11, days before the Republican National Convention began.
Some legal experts noted that conducting a trial interview via video conference is unusual, but it is also unprecedented for a former president to be on trial in New York.
Former New York City Department of Corrections and Probation Commissioner Martin Horn told NBC News that “it’s highly unusual to conduct a pre-sentence investigative interview over Zoom,” but acknowledged that a visit by Trump in person would be “very disruptive” to the probation department.
“But you could argue that having the Secret Service and the press watch him in the trial office on the 10th floor of the Manhattan Criminal Court building, where Trump is being tried, would be very disruptive to the administration and unfair to the other defendants. who may not want to be known,” he said. “So it might end up being better for the probation officer.”
Horn noted that the typical purpose of the probation interview is to obtain information about Trump’s social and criminal history, financial resources, mental health history, physical or substance abuse problems, as well as to assess his living conditions.
Horn said he may also ask Trump if he has had contact with anyone with a criminal record, as he may not be able to contact them if he is tested. The probation officer may also want to interview others at Trump’s home. Although officers usually conduct their interviews in one session, there may be follow-up interviews. The probation officer will then write a report and deliver it to Merchan.
The former president faces probation and up to four years in prison. Some legal experts argue that Trump cannot be arrested due to his age, lack of criminal record and other factors.
Duncan Levin, a former Manhattan prosecutor who became a defense attorney, said the prosecution would seek prison terms.
Levin said Trump’s attorney, Blanche, will be there to ensure that no questions put her client in legal jeopardy. While the hearing may seem like an unnecessary step because Trump is one of the most scrutinized public figures, it is a way to judge who he is beyond what is revealed during the trial.
“It’s impossible to move the needle because the judge knows a lot about his past,” Levine said of the conditional hearing.
Levin also pointed Mercen’s gag order against Trump after he assaulted family members and the former prison sentence of Michael Cohen, a self-described ex-Trump fixer who served as the prosecution’s star witness, for a number of federal chargesIncluding lying to Congress.
“To the extent that a It’s a crime is punishable by jail time, this case warrants jail time, he showed no remorse and was in contempt 10 times, but the judge warned him if he violates a gag order, I’ll send you to jail, and he did it again. several times,” said Levin. “And subverting the election process is as serious a record violation as it has ever been in New York courts.”
Dareh Gregorian contributed.