New York, United States

The judge who oversaw the trial of Grand Old Party (GOP) leader and former United States president Donald Trump’s hush money case is now considering whether to cancel his felony conviction, according to American media reports citing CNN.

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CNN’s Paula Reid reported that Judge Juan Merchan has given himself a November 12 deadline to decide how to proceed with the entire conviction following the US Supreme Court’s immunity ruling. 

“If he does that the sentencing will go away, but the Trump team, again, they're not even just trying to delay this, they are going to try to get this canceled," Reid said.

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Earlier this year, the US Supreme Court ruled that Trump can’t be prosecuted for actions that were within his constitutional powers as president in a landmark decision recognising for the first time any form of presidential immunity from prosecution.

"We conclude that under our constitutional structure of separated powers, the nature of presidential power requires that a former president have some immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts during his tenure in office," the top court had said.

US President Joe Biden had slammed the ruling, saying it sets a wrong and dangerous precedent.

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"This nation was founded on the principle that there are no kings in America ... no one is above the law, not even the president of the United States," said Biden.

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The 78-year-old is facing up to four years in prison after being convicted of 34 counts of felony for making hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Now legal experts are saying Trump won’t have a hard time in getting these convictions nullified as he would be occupying the highest office in the country for the next four years.

“Merchan doesn’t have the stomach to imprison a former president or president-elect,” said Neama Rahmani, a former prosecutor, as quoted by the New York Post. “Now that Trump has won, his criminal problems go away,” Rahmani added.

(With inputs from agencies)