Supreme Court Declines Michael Cohen’s Appeal Against Donald Trump
The United States Supreme Court has declined to hear Michael Cohen’s appeal, leaving in place lower court rulings that dismissed his lawsuit against former President Donald Trump. Cohen sought legal recourse, claiming his imprisonment was a retaliatory act for authoring a tell-all book about Trump. The court’s decision was released in a brief order, abstaining from providing detailed reasoning.
Cohen, who once served as Trump’s personal lawyer, aimed to revive his lawsuit which had been previously dismissed. Lower courts concluded that the law does not typically permit individuals to claim damages for being incarcerated due to criticism of a president. Cohen was released from custody, which the courts noted as resolving the matter.
Jon-Michael Dougherty, Cohen’s lawyer, criticized the Supreme Court’s decision, suggesting it represents a challenging moment for American democracy and raises potential concerns about free speech rights.
On the other hand, Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, regarded the court’s refusal as a justified decision, stating that Cohen should “finally abandon his frivolous and desperate claims.”
Previously, Cohen had been released early from prison, only to be reincarcerated shortly after. He had been serving a sentence following his 2018 guilty plea to charges related to the payment of hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, intended to protect Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Cohen asserted that Trump directed the payment, a claim that was significant in the New York trial where Trump was convicted earlier this year.
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to these events.
Cohen initially received a three-year prison sentence, serving over a year before his 2020 release amid efforts to curb COVID-19 in federal prisons. However, authorities returned him to prison, citing violations of his release conditions. Cohen challenged these terms, particularly the restriction preventing him from media interaction and book publication.
After spending 16 days in solitary confinement, Cohen was released once more when a judge determined his re-imprisonment was retaliatory, linked to his intention to publish a book critical of Trump and discuss it publicly. Following his release, Cohen pursued legal action against Trump, former Attorney General William Barr, and several prison and probation officials.
