The rare and lenient sentence, which will spare President-elect Donald J. Trump jail time, was used to address his unusual status.

On January 10, Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan sentenced the 78-year-old Republican leader to unconditional discharge in the hush money case that pertains to hush money payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump was the first US President-elect to become convicted in a criminal case.

President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday in his historic hush money case to an unconditional discharge -- allowing Trump to avoid prison, fines or probation, but cementing his status as a convicted felon just 10 days before he takes the oath of office for his second term.