Former President Donald Trump's legal team has filed a motion to delay Jack Smith's classified documents trial until after the 2024 election.
Trump's attorneys have accused Smith's prosecutors of using delaying tactics and taking too long to provide evidence. They argue that the current trial date in May is "unworkable" and would require Trump and his lawyers to be in two places at once, as there is also a separate trial scheduled for March 4 in Washington, D.C.
The defense team claims that the Special Counsel's Office has not provided basic discovery materials and has failed to make necessary arrangements for handling classified information. They argue that this lack of access to critical materials is prejudicial to Trump. The defense team is requesting a delay in the trial due to the scheduling conflicts and the incomplete discovery process.
According to CBS News, Trump's lawyers have asked for a delay in the trial until after the 2024 presidential election. They argue that the special counsel's team has taken too long to turn over materials collected during their investigation and that the current schedule is unworkable.
The defense team cites the lack of necessary secure facilities and the litigation under the Classified Information Procedures Act as reasons for the delay. They also point out that the trial in Fort Pierce, Florida conflicts with another case in Washington, D.C. brought by the special counsel regarding Trump's alleged efforts to thwart the transfer of presidential power after the 2020 election.
Jack Smith, the special counsel, recently indicted Trump on 37 federal counts in Miami in the classified documents case. The charges include 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information and six other process crimes related to Trump's conversations with his lawyer.
In July, Smith added three additional charges in a superseding indictment. In August, Smith charged Trump in the January 6 investigation in Washington, D.C., with four counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of an official proceeding.
The defense team argues that the lack of access to critical materials and the scheduling conflicts make it impossible for Trump's lawyers to adequately prepare for the trial. They claim that the Special Counsel's Office has not provided basic discovery materials and has failed to make necessary arrangements for handling classified information.
The defense team is requesting a delay in the trial to allow for the completion of discovery and to ensure that Trump has access to all relevant materials.
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