Special prosecutor requests extension; Says Trump Trial Can't Start Before September 14

Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Jack Smith, the special prosecutor in the case against former US President Donald Trump and his assistant Waltine Nauta for crimes related to the handling of classified documents, informed the court that, according to the rules, the trial in Florida cannot begin before September 14.

The above in response toJudge Aileen Cannon, of the federal courts for the southern district of Florida, who had set the start of the trial for mid-August, but both the prosecution and the defense have requested more time to be able to prepare well.

In recent days, the former president’s defense asked Cannon for a postponement of the trial against his client until December 11, four months after the initial date of August 14 initially set and after the electoral elections.

Until now there has been no response to these requests from the judge, who also established that the trial be held in Fort Pierce (Florida), 208 kilometers north of Miami.

The Speedy Trial Law, under which the judicial process will be developed, requires both parties to submit specific reports on the times they handle.

Smith fulfilled his duty in the last hours by introducing a report into the file in which he estimates that, in accordance with the deadlines set by the Speedy Trial Law, the earliest date on which the start can take place is the next 14th of September.

To reach that conclusion, the prosecutor makes a series of calculations based on the terms established by law for certain steps prior to the trial.

In June, the special prosecutor asked to delay the trial until December, arguing that the case “has to do with classified information, so it will be necessary for the defense to obtain the required security authorizations”.

for his part Trump’s defense asked on July 10 that a trial date not yet be set for the case of the classified documents found at his Florida residence and denied prosecutor Smith’s request to hold it in December.

Trump’s lawyers and his former counsel Nauta asked the judge in charge of the case to deny the government’s proposal to reschedule the trial and to “postpone initial consideration of any new dates until substantial motions have been filed and judged,” according to the court document.

They also suggested that it will be difficult to prepare a proper defense until after the 2024 presidential election, in which Trump hopes to compete.

In June, Trump was charged in the Miami courts with 37 federal criminal offenses for mishandling official documents, to which he pleaded not guilty.

*With information from EFE.