Judge Aileen Cannon has set a trial date for the DOJ’s case against Donald Trump involving classified information, contrary to expectations.
Cannon has set the state date for the trial for August 14, 2023, despite the fact that legal experts had previously predicted that it would occur in 2025 with certainty. In addition, she stipulated that all pre-trial motions must be completed by July.
“U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon bookmarked the last two weeks in August for the historic trial, part of an omnibus order setting some early ground rules and deadlines for the case. That would represent a startlingly rapid pace for a case that is expected to be complicated and require lengthy pretrial wrangling over extraordinarily sensitive classified secrets,” Politico reported.
“But a review of Cannon’s criminal cases, since she took the bench in late 2020, suggests this is standard practice for the Florida-based judge. She typically sets trial dates six to eight weeks from the start of a case, only to allow weeks- or months-long delays as issues arise and the parties demand more time to prepare. While her order on Tuesday starts the clock on a slew of important pretrial matters in the Trump case, it’s not likely to resemble anything close to the timeframe that will ultimately govern the case,” the outlet added.
The trial will not commence until August 2023, which is a logical (and likely accurate) assumption, but it appears that Cannon is attempting to accelerate the proceedings. Even if the trial is delayed for six to twelve months, it may still occur before the primary elections or just a few months before the general election.
The swiftness with which the circumstance is resolved will depend on Cannon’s approach. Numerous motions that typically cause delays can be anticipated, with the prosecution and defense frequently reaching an agreement. Given the sensitivity of the situation and the management of the numerous documents in question, will she pursue the issue? We must watch and wait.
Monday marked the first victory for Special Counsel Jack Smith in his conflict with President Trump.
A federal judge granted Smith’s request for a protective order prohibiting Trump from disclosing confidential information in his case involving classified documents.
“Smith sought the order to ensure that neither Trump nor codefendant Walt Nauta, Trump’s presidential valet, disclose sensitive information obtained during the discovery process, where prosecutors will show the defense what evidence it has amassed during their investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents since leaving office,” ABC News reported.
The protective order said Trump and Nauta “shall not disclose the Discovery Materials or their contents directly or indirectly to any person or entity other than persons employed to assist in the defense, persons who are interviewed as potential witnesses, counsel for potential witnesses, and other persons to whom the Court may authorize disclosure.”
The defense team was instructed by U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce E. Reinhart to “not disclose the Discovery Materials or their contents directly or indirectly to any person or entity other than persons employed to assist in the defense, persons who are interviewed as potential witnesses, counsel for potential witnesses, and other persons to whom the Court may authorize disclosure.”
“A knowing violation of this Order by Defendants, Defense Counsel, and Authorized Persons may result in contempt of court or other civil or criminal sanctions,” the order warned.
A former criminal defense attorney for Trump stated last week that the investigation into his improper handling of sensitive information may not even lead to a trial.
Trump will be arraigned in the case brought against him by Smith, who was selected by Biden’s Department of Justice, on Tuesday in Miami, according to Timothy Parlatore, who represented Trump in criminal defense matters until last month.