Image source, Getty Images
- author, Max Matza
- role, BBC News
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Donald Trump is scheduled to have a virtual interview with his probation officer from his Florida home on Monday as part of his sentencing proceedings for his felony conviction in the New York hush money case.
Trump, the first former US president to be convicted, will appear in court from Mar-a-Lago and will sit next to his lawyer Todd Branche, a source with knowledge of the matter told the BBC’s US partner CBS News.
New York City probation officials will use the interview in their pre-sentence report to Judge Juan Marchan, who is currently determining what punishment Trump will receive.
Trump was convicted last month of 34 counts of falsifying business records and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11.
Defendants are usually required to attend probation interviews in person but experts told the BBC that an exception was likely made in Trump’s case due to the high profile of the case.
Former New York State Supreme Court Justice Diane Kiesel said it would be too disruptive for a former president to appear before a New York City probation office.
“There will be reporters all over the building, and the Secret Service will have to be there,” she said. “It just makes more sense this way.”
Inmates in New York courts typically do not have lawyers present at their probation interviews, Kiesel added.
However, Judge Marchan allowed Mr Blanche to appear in court with his client on Monday.
Pre-sentence reports contain information about nearly every aspect of an inmate’s life, including place and place of birth, marital and criminal history, financial situation, health and overall living conditions.
Kiesel said his probation officer will likely ask Trump to talk about the crimes he was convicted of.
She said most defendants would simply say they intend to appeal the sentence, as Trump has said he will, or decline to comment.
The report will be used by the judge to determine what punishment should be given.
The interview is often an opportunity for the inmate to argue for a reduction in his sentence.
The interview reports will be kept confidential and will only be made available to the judge, the defendant and the lawyers in the case, Kiesel said.
Jurors convicted Trump of falsifying business records to hide hush money paid to former porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Many legal commentators believe Trump’s lack of criminal history and young age make it unlikely he will serve any prison time.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has repeatedly alleged without evidence that the New York prosecution is politically motivated and aimed at blocking his retaking of the White House in November’s election.
