Former President Donald Trump's first criminal trial, scheduled to begin on Monday, has been postponed as his lawyers seek a delay and possible dismissal of the charges. The trial delay was prompted by the discovery of over 100,000 new documents related to the 2018 prosecution of Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, a key witness in the case.
Key Points Ahead of Today's Hearing:
What Happened?
Trump's lawyers argue that the newly disclosed information could be exculpatory and are requesting at least 90 days to review the material. This delay aligns with Trump's efforts to push back all four criminal trials he is facing until after the November election. The trial is now set to begin no earlier than April 15.
What are the Documents?
The documents in question stem from the 2018 federal investigation into Cohen, focusing on campaign finance violations and tax evasion. They include records used to obtain search warrants for Cohen's devices and homes, as well as 30,000 pages related to documents seized from his electronic devices and email accounts. Additionally, FBI interview notes from special counsel Robert Mueller's interviews with Cohen were turned over, totaling over 200,000 pages of records.
Why the Delay?
Both Trump's attorneys and prosecutors are blaming each other for the late document production. Trump's team alleges that the district attorney withheld evidence, while prosecutors claim that Trump's attorneys did not raise concerns about the documents until months later. The US attorney's office only provided the documents following a subpoena from Trump's legal team in January.
Today's pre-trial hearing in New York, presided over by Judge Juan Merchan, will focus on the document production from the Southern District of New York. The hearing will not address other issues, such as concerns raised by Trump's lawyers about potential jury bias due to a new documentary release.
