Judge decides that Trump's documents trial will start in March
The federal judge overseeing former President Donald Trump's classified documents case raised eyebrows earlier this month when she suggested that his trial's March start date might be pushed back.
However, those hopes were dashed this week following her decision that Trump's trial will begin as planned.
Judge calls request for a delay "premature"
According to NBC 6 South Florida, United States District Judge Aileen Cannon called the request by Trump's defense lawyers for a delay "premature."
Trump is currently facing a total of four separate criminal indictments along with a civil fraud case in New York, and the former president's attorneys have suggested that this creates the potential for scheduling conflicts.
NBC 6 South Florida recalled how Cannon had previously acknowledged how the "unusually high volume of classified and unclassified evidence" has created unique challenges.
JUST IN: Judge Aileen Cannon signaled during a hearing that she intends to make “reasonable adjustments” to the scheduling of Trump’s classified documents trial in Florida, expressing concern that it could “collide” with Trump’s DC-based election interference trial.
— Alan Feuer (@alanfeuer) November 1, 2023
Trump's criminal charges hinge on allegations that he illegally classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after leaving the White House in January of 2021.
Cannon pushes back some filing deadlines
While Cannon ultimately decided to keep the current trial schedule intact, she did postpone a number of deadlines for filing and responding to pretrial motions.
"Although the Special Counsel is correct that the trajectory of these matters potentially remains in flux, the schedules as they currently stand overlap substantially with the deadlines in this case, presenting additional challenges to ensuring Defendant Trump has adequate time to prepare for trial and to assist in his defense," Cannon was quoted as writing.
The Hill reported that Mary Trump lashed out at Cannon in a video she posted to her Substack, accusing the judge of being biased.
Mary Trump called Cannon her uncle's "pocket judge"
"In Florida, in the trial of the classified documents, the situation is much worse. Donald’s personal pocket judge Aileen Cannon, continues to protect her favorite defendant, at all costs," Mary Trump declared.
"[T]his woman is clearly in the tank for Donald, and she’s tipping her hand at practically every opportunity to show one, her contempt for the prosecution, and two, her clear desire to push this trial back as much as possible, so that it won’t interfere with Donald’s chance of getting reelected," she added.
Mary Trump has long been an angry critic of the former president and even recently accused her uncle of being alienated from his children.
