New York judge rejects Trump's request to delay sentencing in hush money case

NEW YORK, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- A New York judge overseeing U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's hush money case on Monday rejected Trump's motion to delay sentencing set for Friday.

Juan Merchan, justice of the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, said in a decision that Trump's motion was mostly "a repetition of the arguments he has raised numerous times in the past."

"Therefore, defendant's motion for a stay of these proceedings, including the sentencing hearing scheduled for Jan. 10, 2025, is hereby denied," the decision said.

Earlier Monday, Trump's lawyers filed a motion to initiate appellate proceedings based on presidential immunity to challenge Merchan's two recent decisions to uphold his conviction in the hush money case.

The commencement of appellate proceedings would mean an automatic stay of further criminal proceedings, argued the lawyers.

Judge Merchan set Jan. 10 as the date of sentencing for the hush money case on Friday and Trump's lawyers said if the sentencing happens, he will appear virtually rather than in person.