Judge Aileen Cannon has issued a new order in the ongoing classified documents case involving former President Donald Trump and special prosecutor Jack Smith’s team.
This recent development marks the first major action taken by Judge Cannon since she initially postponed the trial date last week to address issues related to classified evidence.
In her latest directive, Judge Cannon instructed both parties involved in the case to prepare for the eventual public release of relevant materials.
This order comes as a response to a February motion submitted by Trump’s legal team that alleged unlawful acquisition of evidence and various forms of misconduct on the part of the prosecution.
The judge has ordered Mr.
Smith’s team to submit “a brief notice indicating any final changes or revisions to his proposed seal/redaction requests as to the above-mentioned filings.
The May 9th order emphasizes the need for certain details and information related to the case to be redacted before public release, including the names of potential witnesses and any identifying information about “grand jury materials.” Judge Cannon’s decision not to finalize a new trial date further complicates federal prosecutors’ efforts to bring the former president to court before the November presidential election.
Former President Trump faces numerous felony counts in connection with his alleged unlawful possession of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, as well as charges of obstructing the FBI’s attempts to retrieve them.
Despite these allegations, Trump maintains his innocence and has pleaded not guilty.
In addition to this case, Trump is currently facing four separate criminal trials as he seeks a return to the White House.
However, outside of the New York prosecution, it remains unclear if any of these cases will reach trial before the upcoming election.
One such case involves the Supreme Court weighing arguments regarding Trump’s claim to be immune from federal prosecution, while another sees Fulton County, Georgia prosecutors accusing him of plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
The former president is also on trial in New York for allegedly falsifying business records related to payments made during his 2016 campaign.
In this case, Trump has pleaded not guilty and faces potential jail time if he continues to speak about certain individuals involved in the trial, as stated by Judge Juan Merchan.
Judge Merchan initially imposed a gag order on Trump that prohibits him from making public statements about jurors, court staff, prosecutors, and likely witnesses.
This measure has led to multiple fines for violations, with the possibility of incarceration for future breaches of the order.
The ongoing trial featuring witness testimony from former Trump attorney Michael Cohen is expected to last approximately two more weeks.