A Professor of Law at George Washington University, Jonathan Turley has alleged that the Judge in New York, Justice Juan Merchan who had convicted the President-elect, Donald Trump on 34 criminal charges would be unwise to sentence the President to any jail time.
He noted that a logical decision would align with more lenient sentencing practices, although he acknowledged that the judge has historically leaned towards harsher rulings in favor of prosecutors. He argued that sentencing President Trump to jail would likely lead to an appeal, and that the President would ultimately avoid incarceration. He highlighted the potential for alternative sentencing options, such as home confinement or community service, which he believes would be more appropriate given the circumstances of the case.
He said in an interview with Fox News from 3:55, ‘What the Judge should do is to grant a conditional discharge. But the problem is that’s not been the trend of his rulings in the past. He has had a rather heavy hand on the side of the prosecutors. But it would be unwise for the judge to sentence the President to any jail time, because it would be appealed and the President would not have to go to jail.
There is a lot of room at the elbows on conditional discharges; sentence people to home confinement, community service, and I think that’s the option here. This was a really awful case from the beginning, and even people on some of the other networks have criticized this case as being unfounded and unprecedented. I think this is where this judge needs to listen to his better angels and call it a day. If he imposes something harsh in terms of a sentence, it will be appealed, and he very well could lose.”