The New York judge who's set to sentence former president President Donald Trump next month has a reputation for imposing punishments that can depend on the "respect" shown by defendants, according to a new report.
That could be bad news for Trump, who has repeatedly claimed that his trial was "rigged" — and that Justice Juan Merchan was "crooked" after a jury convicted him on all counts in the historic Stormy Daniels "hush money" case on Thursday.
Merchan is "known as being a tough sentencer but not over the top," high-profile Manhattan defense lawyer Arthur Aidala told the Daily Beast for a report Friday,
One of three men convicted in 2015 for parachuting from the World Trade Center also said Merchan went easier on him than on a pal who showed a "lower level of compliance at trial."
"I, myself, was pretty quiet and just tried to keep my mouth shut and be apologetic," Andrew Rossig told the Daily Beast. "But one of my co-defendants was posting things on social media and being kind of an ass, and he got more community service than I did."
Rossig, a carpenter, said he thought that Merchan was "more lenient" toward people who "at least seem apologetic for the crime you did."
"I don't ever remember saying to myself, 'This judge is ridiculous and I'm going to jail for the rest of my life.' It was more like, 'Treat him with respect and he'll be fair,'" he recalled.
On Friday, Trump called Merchan a "tyrant" and said he "looks like an angel, but he's really a devil" during remarks to reporters at his Trump Tower highrise in Manhattan.
The first former U.S. president to face criminal prosecution was found guity of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.
Daniels, a porn star whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, testified they had an affair in 2016, which Trump denies.
The charges each carry a maximum 4-year prison tern, but state law limits the total punishment for multiple counts to 20 years, according to the Associated Press.
It also allows Trump, President Joe Biden's presumptive Republican challenger, to be sentenced to a minimum of probation.
Aidala told the Daily Beast that Merchan has "already indicated to Trump during the trial that he does not want to put him in prison," referring to remarks the judge made after Trump repeatedly violated a gag order.
"I believe that will be the same at the actual sentencing. The judge should craft some significant form of community service in a way that Trump is obligated to make the city a better place," Aidala said.
Trump's sentencing is set for July 11.
