In a notable turn of events, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has set a trial date for former President Donald Trump regarding the alleged illegal retention of classified documents. The trial is scheduled to commence on May 20, 2024. This date has been reached as a compromise between the prosecution’s request for a December trial and the defense’s attempt to postpone it indefinitely, potentially until after the 2024 presidential election.
If this date stands, it means that Trump’s trial for state charges in New York, relating to falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to a porn actor, would conclude shortly before his federal trial. Furthermore, the trial is unlikely to begin until well into the presidential nomination process and the Republican nominee will likely be determined by the time it commences, though the official nomination at the Republican National Convention would occur later.
Judge Cannon decided to postpone the trial from the original December 11 start date proposed by the Department of Justice. She justified this decision by stating that the government’s proposed timeline deviated from the norm and did not allow for a fair trial. The judge agreed with the defense that the volume of evidence, including classified information, that needed to be reviewed before the trial was extensive and would likely increase as the trial approached.
In response to the judge’s order, the Trump campaign expressed disappointment and dubbed it a setback to the Department of Justice’s supposed mission to deny Trump a fair legal process. They view the extended schedule as an opportunity for Trump and his legal team to continue fighting what they consider to be an unfounded accusation.
It is worth noting that Trump may face further trials within the coming year. He recently disclosed that he had received a letter informing him of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. This suggests that charges may be imminent. Additionally, prosecutors in Georgia are expected to announce decisions regarding charges related to efforts by Trump and his allies to undermine the state’s vote.
If the trial proceeds as planned, it will take place at a federal courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida. The charges stem from a 38-count indictment filed by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. The indictment accuses Trump of deliberately hoarding classified documents, including top-secret records, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. It also implicates Trump’s valet, Walt Nauta, alleging a conspiracy to conceal the documents from investigators who had requested their return. Both Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty to these charges.
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