Hey
Bonanza, please outline the expected and/or worst-case scenarios given that sentencing is a couple-few days before the convention.
Could he immediately be placed into custody?
I usually request defendants be remanded immediately after a conviction. Bail is only intended to secure someone's presence for the trial, so at that point the spirit of the bond is gone. Sometimes it works, oftentimes it doesn't. Here, I doubt one of the most famous/infamous men on the planet couldn't hide, so the judge let him free pending sentencing.
Sentencing isn't throwing darts at the wall, but it is in some respect. The probation department is tasked with writing a report that uses various factors to determine a sentence. Do you show remorse? What is your previous criminal history? Have you taken any steps that would demonstrate rehabilitation? etc. etc. Aggravating and mitigating factors are then used to determine a sentence. "Sentence" is often strange too. For instance, take the 25-life you commonly hear. In CA, that's a determinate and indeterminate sentence. So you do the 25 years first, then the life sentence. But neither are what they say. 25 years is automatically half time. From them, the jails can add credits, and you can serve that in as little as 30% time. The "life" sentence doesn't mean "until your life ends" either. It simple means you serve until you are eligible for parole. The first eligibility hearing is usually after 7 years. So being convicted of 25 to life, you could get out in 17 years or so.
The prosecution can suggest its own sentence, as will the defense. The Judge can pick between them all, or make his own. I've had judges sentence more than my recommendation, as well as much less.
Here, Trump will only go to jail if he wants to go to jail. Meaning, his conduct from now until then will determine what sort of sentence awaits him. He will likely continue to deny any wrongdoing, which will not bode well for him. But even then, he could be sentenced to jail (Prison is usually for sentences above 1 yr), and that could be served on house arrest, community service, or even be suspended. Suspended means its like he gets nothing, but will be jailed if he violates probation.
I don't think, for a moment, that Trump will see the inside of a jail cell unless that's precisely what Trump wants.
However this is ends, Trump wins. I say that as someone who isn't a big Trump fan. (No, I don't care for Biden either).
Oh Nikki. What could have been.