Former President Donald Trump is set to have a probation interview on Monday in the aftermath of his guilty verdict at the end of May, according to sources.
Three people familiar with the situation informed NBC News that Trump will take part in a virtual interview from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
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While the probation interview is usually done in person, Martin Horn, a former commissioner with the New York City Department of Corrections and Probation, explained to the outlet that having Trump appear in person may be “disruptive.”
Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, will reportedly be with the former president during his virtual interview.
“You can argue that Trump’s appearance at the probation office on the 10th floor of the Criminal Court Building in Manhattan where his trial took place, with Secret Service and press following him, would be very disruptive to the probation office and unfair to other defendants who might not want to be identified,” Horn explained.
In order to help the judge decide a punishment for those convicted of a crime, a pre-sentencing report is used, according to the website for the New York State Unified Court System.
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“The pre-sentence report is made by probation officers,” the website explained. “The report is made after the conviction and before the date for Sentencing in felony and serious misdemeanor cases.”
During the interview, a probation officer, social worker, or psychologist will conduct an interview with the defendant and check their criminal record.
A probation officer (or a social worker or psychologist working for the probation department) interviews the defendant and checks the defendant’s criminal record. The probation officer may talk to the crime victim, the arresting officer, and the defendant’s family and friends. The pre-sentence report includes a statement about what happened, the defendant’s person history and criminal record and a Victim Impact Statement. The report makes recommendations for sentencing.
Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first-degree concerning payments made to adult entertainment actress, Stormy Daniels, during the 2016 presidential election.
The former president is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention.
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