The criminal trial regarding Donald Trump’s alleged involvement in hush money payments has faced a setback as the judge overseeing the case has agreed to delay its start. The trial, originally scheduled for March 25, will now be postponed, with a new date expected to be set no earlier than mid-April.
The decision to delay the trial follows a series of contentious exchanges between the Manhattan district attorney’s office and Trump’s legal team regarding the production of thousands of documents recently turned over by the Department of Justice. A hearing scheduled for March 25 will address the circumstances surrounding the document production and Trump’s motions to dismiss the case and sanction the district attorney’s office.
Judge Juan Merchan’s letter emphasized the need for a prompt hearing to address the pending discovery motion and the events surrounding the document production. The trial delay, agreed upon by both parties, allows time for these issues to be resolved before proceeding further.
The delay underscores the significance of the dispute over document production, with the judge taking the defense allegations seriously. Both parties have been instructed to provide detailed timelines of the events related to document requests and productions by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Trump, who faces charges related to falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments made to Michael Cohen, has pleaded not guilty. His legal team argues that the newly disclosed documents contain exculpatory evidence and require adequate time for review.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office has consented to a delay of up to 30 days to allow Trump’s team to review the documents. However, disagreements persist over the relevance of the documents and the timing of their disclosure.
Blame-shifting between the parties has played out publicly, with prosecutors attributing the late document production to Trump’s lawyers’ delayed subpoena. In contrast, Trump’s attorneys maintain they received the documents in response to a straightforward request, suggesting procedural failures on the part of the prosecution.
As the trial delay is granted, the judge will consider various factors, including his own docket, which includes the trial of former Trump adviser Steve Bannon scheduled for May 1. Additionally, concerns have been raised regarding potential conflicts with the Jewish holiday of Passover, highlighting the complexity of scheduling legal proceedings.