President Trump might nicely have just saved his life, an elated and relieved Roger Stone told The Article moments following understanding his sentence was commuted — from Trump himself.

“I’m obviously pretty delighted,” Stone, 67, mentioned soon after Trump called his Fort Lauderdale, Florida, residence with the great news on Friday night time.

The reprieve came just days before Stone was to turn himself in on Tuesday to commence serving a 40-thirty day period sentence.

“I instructed him I was grateful,” Stone advised The Article of his chat with the president.

“He protected my wellness.”

Stone extra, “He believes in justice. I felt very self-confident that if he read the facts of my case, he would make the proper final decision.

During their get in touch with, Trump, in convert, cited their extended friendship and his perception that Stone is not a felony.

“He stated we have recognized every other for 40 yrs,” Stone said.

“In his viewpoint, he did not consider I fully commited a criminal offense.”

Stone stated he can now appeal his case from the safety of his South Florida household, without the hazard of catching the coronavirus although in jail.

“With the hazard of catching COVID, I could not live extensive adequate to see my opinion” in his enchantment, he said.

Stone, who has been less than house confinement for some two a long time, said he would expend Friday night time celebrating with buddies — all of them donning “Free Roger Stone” facial area masks.

Then, “starting now, I’m functioning to help Key Flynn,” he claimed of his long run efforts to foyer for former nationwide security adviser and fellow Trump adviser Michael Flynn, who is awaiting sentence for admittedly lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officers.

Stone experienced claimed Thursday that he was “praying” Trump would maintain him out of prison.

Stone was sentenced in February by DC federal Choose Amy Berman Jackson to more than 3 years in prison immediately after getting convicted in November 2019 on seven counts of obstruction, witness tampering and making false statements to Congress.

The costs were lodged soon after unique counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.

Stone appealed his conviction and has ongoing to deny that he did just about anything erroneous.

Supplemental reporting by Laura Italiano