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Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally on June 6, 2024 in Phoenix.
CNN
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Former President Donald Trump He completed his pre-sentence interview with the New York City Department of Probation on Monday Quiet money inquiry The sentencing last month, a source familiar with the proceedings told CNN.
“Earlier today, President Trump wrapped up a routine interview [the] New York Probation Office. The interview was uneventful and lasted less than thirty minutes,” the source said, adding, “The president and his team will continue to fight the lawless Manhattan DA witch hunt.”
The interview took place around 3:30 p.m. Monday, a second source told CNN.
Trump answered all questions in the virtual interview and was described as polite, respectful and compliant with probation officers, according to a New York City official familiar with the interview.
New York City Department of Probation Commissioner Juanita Holmes attended, along with the department’s general counsel and Trump’s case officer, the source said. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche was also present at the meeting. It is not standard for pre-sentence interviews to be attended by anyone other than the designated officer and the defendant.
Trump, according to the source, told officials to stay safe at the end of the interview.
The Probation Department has not ruled out the possibility of a follow-up meeting, the source added.
The meeting is part of a report the Probation Department will present to Judge Juan Merchan to help decide Trump’s sentence at 10 a.m. July 11. State prison, maximum 20 years on each count.
In a pre-sentence interview, a defendant is usually asked about their conviction and other basic background information, such as their employment and criminal history. Defendants are not required to cooperate in a regular pre-sentence hearing, but a judge can draw an adverse inference from a defendant’s lack of cooperation.
As part of the process, Trump’s legal team may submit letters of support from his friends and family to Merchan. The former president’s panel is scheduled to submit its sentencing recommendation on Thursday, a source familiar with the plan said.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office will also submit a memo telling the judge what punishment is appropriate for Trump.
A Manhattan jury last month found Trump guilty of all 34 charges in his money trial, making him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. He was accused of falsifying business records related to payments to an adult film star in 2016.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN Kaitlan Collins, Alaina Treen And Lauren Del Valle contributed to this report.
