A New York judge has denied Donald Trump’s request to halt Friday’s criminal sentencing. Trump’s lawyers asked Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan to stop the proceedings while they appeal a ruling that upheld the verdict. But Merchan rejected it. That means Trump is on course to be the first president to take office convicted of crimes. However, he can still ask the appeals court to delay sentencing or seek to have another court intervene. Last year, Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.