Manhattan DA proposes last-minute delay to Trump’s hush money trial

Manhattan DA proposes last-minute delay to Trump’s hush money trial

by

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has asked the judge overseeing the criminal case against Donald Trump for an utmost of 30-day delay in trial – just two weeks before it is set to occur.

On Thursday, Mr Bragg asked a judge to push back the trial so prosecutors could review approximately 31,000 pages of records that were submitted by the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) on Wednesday.

Those records, which Mr Bragg said were requested more than a year ago, are related to a federal investigation into Michael Cohen – whose testimony Mr Bragg used to build the case in which he is accusing Mr Trump of falsifying business records.

Mr Bragg said that while most of the filings are unrelated to the case, he noted approximately 172 pages of witness statements could be relevant. He added that prosecutors are prepared to go to trial as expected on 25 March and find no merit for dismissal but “do not oppose a brief adjournment of up to 30 days”.

The former president’s team sought to delay the case earlier this week when they asked Judge Juan Merchan to pause the trial until the US Supreme Court rules on his “presidential immunity” claim.

(REUTERS)

The Manhattan criminal case against Mr Trump, who is the Republican frontrunner, was set to be the first of his trials to occur before Election Day.

So far, Mr Trump’s team has successfully delayed his criminal trial in Washington DC and Florida through various motions to dismiss and appeals. The criminal trial against him in Georgia was slated to go to trial in August, though it’s highly questionable whether that proposed date will remain firm.

Delaying trials is part of the former president’s legal strategy in his effort to seek re-election this year.

In his request to the judge, Mr Bragg called the timing of the USAO’s production of materials “a function of defendant’s own delay” and accused the former president’s legal team of failing to act quickly in obtaining materials from the USAO.

The Manhattan DA said that Mr Trump’s team had access to those materials in June 2023 but failed to subpoena additional materials until January and allowed the USAO to consistently extend the deadline for producing materials.

“ The timing of the USAO’s productions is a result solely of defendant’s delay despite the People’s diligence,” Mr Bragg wrote.

This is a breaking news story, more follows…

Leave a Comment