Not What It Sounds Like

BREAKING: Judge Amy Berman Jackson has *denied* a sealed motion by STONE for a new trial. pic.twitter.com/bKIMkUiJgL

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) February 12, 2020

There is news elsewhere of funds being raised to finance Roger Stone's appeal (and also to campaign for his pardon.  That effort is already underway by Tucker Carlson, which is what started Trump bleating on Twitter in the first place.)  A motion for new trial is a necessary step in that process.

In order to appeal a trial ruling, one must first, and within definite time limits, ask to the trial court to correct its error (the basis for appeal is error in the trial, not simple disagreement over the outcome).  That request is a motion for new trial, and they are regularly rejected.  But without that motion and a decision on it, the moving party cannot appeal to the appellate court.

The only curiosity here is that the motion was sealed, which means we don't know what grounds were used for the motion.  Most likely it will be the same grounds used for appeal, but that depends on who the lawyers for the appeal are; if there actually is one.