A Pardon for Stone -- Between a Rock and a Hard Place for Trump.

[TruckFump]

When a person is pardoned -- in essence he or she admits that they committed the crimes alleged and found guilty thereof. A pardon does NOT adjudicate the convicted person to a status of factual innocence. In the case of Roger Stone, this is one of the crimes for which he was convicted:

"Roger Stone sentenced to more than three years in prison for Trump cover-up"

“He was not prosecuted, as some have complained, for standing up for the president,” Jackson said. “He was prosecuted for covering up for the president.”

https://fortune.com/2020/02/20/roger-stone-sentenced-to-more-than-three-years-in-prison-for-trump-cover-up/

A pardon is NOT an exoneration, it is not a status of factual innocence. So, if Trump pardons, Stone, IMO, it is an admission by Trump that Stone in fact and legally was guilty of a cover-up of the conduct of Trump. If Trump does not pardon Stone, then the verdict re a "cover-up" by Stone for Trump stands.

So Trump -- meet Stone, Rock and a Hard Place.

The manner in which Judge Jackson announced the sentencing -- she did a great job of painting Trump into a corner.