BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Juan Merchan, a New York judge overseeing U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's hush money case, on Friday granted Trump an unconditional discharge in delivering the sentence, meaning the incoming president will face no fine or probation supervision.
Still, the sentencing formally designates Trump as a convicted felon, subject to the outcome of his future appeals.
The following is a timeline of the high-profile trial since 2023:
-- On March 30, 2023, a grand jury in New York indicted Trump for allegedly paying 130,000 U.S. dollars as hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
-- On April 4, 2023, Trump was arraigned in New York City and became the first former U.S. president to be criminally indicted.
-- On April 15, 2024, Trump appeared in a criminal court in Manhattan, New York City, becoming the first former U.S. president to stand trial in a criminal case.
-- On May 30, 2024, a New York jury found Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal the hush money payment, making him the first former U.S. president convicted of a crime.
-- On July 2, 2024, the New York judge Merchan postponed the sentencing date for Trump from July 11 to Sept. 18.
-- On Sept. 6, 2024, the sentencing date was further postponed to Nov. 26, after election day.
-- On Nov. 22, 2024, Merchan agreed to indefinitely postpone sentencing after Trump won the 2024 presidential election earlier that month.
-- On Dec. 16, 2024, The New York State Supreme Court denied Trump's motion to overturn his conviction on the grounds of presidential immunity.
-- On Jan. 3, 2025, Judge Merchan set Jan. 10 as the new sentencing date.
-- On Jan. 9, 2025, New York State Court of Appeals rejected a motion by Trump's lawyers to halt the sentencing, scheduled for the next day. Also on Jan. 9, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to postpone the sentencing, confirming Jan. 10 as the final sentencing date. ■
