Trump gets shot down in effort to get hush money trial prosecutors sanctioned

New York, New York - The judge overseeing Donald Trump's historic hush money trial rejected the defense's request to sanction the prosecution for providing a last-minute document dump of evidence.

Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing Donald Trump's hush money trial, rejected a request to penalize prosecutors over submitting late evidence.
Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing Donald Trump's hush money trial, rejected a request to penalize prosecutors over submitting late evidence.  © JIM WATSON / AFP

On Thursday, Judge Juan Merchan ruled that prosecutors did nothing wrong by submitting the additional evidence ahead of the beginning of the trial.

Back in March, the defense complained that they did not have sufficient time to prepare in light of the new evidence, which came from a previous related federal investigation.

Judge Merchan agreed to delay the trial from March 25 to April 15, but the defense argued it was still not enough, and called for prosecutors to face penalties.

Trump asks Supreme Court to pause law threatening TikTok ban
Donald Trump Trump asks Supreme Court to pause law threatening TikTok ban

In his ruling, Judge Merchan described the move as a "far cry" from the defense's claim of prosecutors "injecting themselves in the process and vehemently and aggressively trying to obstruct your ability to get documentation."

Trump is facing 34 felony charges in the trial for allegedly falsifying business records to hide payments made to a porn star in an effort to cover up an affair he has long denied.

In the past four weeks, the jury has heard from 22 witnesses, with both sides resting their cases this past Tuesday.

Merchan scheduled closing arguments, which he said should take "at least a day," for next Tuesday.

Cover photo: POOL / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

More on Donald Trump: