#SCOTUS is supposed to render a decision on the question of #immunity, & the ruling will go towards determining when the case will go to trial.
There’s a narrow path for a trial to be held before Nov. But it’s more likely that it will be sent back to district court Judge #Chutkan, to determine which of the charges stemmed from ofcl acts & which should be thought of as strictly private ones. That process, which could affect the scope of the charges the #jury hears, could take wks or even months.
"Donald Lee Moss, 62, of Elizabethtown and James Link Behymer, 61, of Hope will appear in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., via Zoom for their arraignment and a status conference on May 29, according to court filings.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan..."
BREAKING: Just left the courtroom of Judge #Chutkan, where she has handed down her longest #Jan6 sentence to date — 66 months — to Scott Miller, a former Maryland #ProudBoy who harbored extreme and violent views about Jews and minorities (but promised the court he had disavowed).
About tipster alerting probation office about Vo attending DC jail Jan 6 protest, defense tells judge “I’m an immigrant to this country” … and such an action by a tipster is creepy and “it bothers me”
Judge Chutkan says she’s an immigrant too and “it doesn’t bother me”
Defense says she does not condone her client’s claim that he was victimized by a “kangaroo court”
#Republican-appointed judges raise alarm over #Trump attacks on #law
Federal DC Judge #ReggieWalton warned Trump’s attacks on #HushMoney trial judge & others could lead to #violence.
The Republican-appointed judge denounced Trump’s attacks against the judge presiding over his hush money trial in Manhattan & his daughter, calling them assaults on the #RuleOfLaw that could lead to violence & #tyranny.
Since late 2020, as #Trump began escalating his #attacks on the #judiciary, serious investigated #threats against fed #judges have more than doubled, from 224 in 2021 to 457 in 2023, acc/to the US Marshals Service. Fed judges in DC say ≥½ of trial judges handling cases arising from the #Jan6, attack on the Capitol have received a surge in threats & #harassment, incl’g #DeathThreats to their homes, w/Trump’s #ElectionObstruction trial judge, Tanya #Chutkan, placed under 24-hr protection.
long 🧵 from Matthew Seligman on possible #Trump#DC#trial timelines
(1) As long as the #SCOTUS rejects Trump’s #immunity claim by the end of this Term in June, Trump’s trial should start before #Election Day.
(2) Whether the trial ends before ElectionDay depends on 3 factors:
(i) exactly when the #SupremeCourt issues its decision;
(ii) whether Judge #Chutkan compresses the pre-trial schedule; &
(iii) how long the trial takes.
(ii) #Chutkan indicated that she won’t set deadlines assuming #Trump has prepared his defense during the stay. Whether that means she won’t compress at all the 88 days of pretrial prep that were remaining when the stay was imposed - unknown.
(iii) The parties have estimated the #trial will take 8 - 12 wks. Some, like Andrew Weissmann, have speculated that #SpecialCounsel#JackSmith might attempt to simplify his case to shorten the trial. Whether that is possible also remains to be seen.
Adjusting the dials on each of the factors makes a dispositive difference.
If #SCOTUS decides the case on Jun 17 & #Chutkan does not compress the pretrial proceedings, an 8-wk trial will conclude on Nov 1, 2024. Before #Election Day.
But if the Court decides the case on Jun 30 & Chutkan does not compress the pretrial proceedings, a 12-wk trial will conclude on Dec 13, 2024. After Election Day—but before the next president is inaugurated on Jan 20, 2025.
So we should not assume that a #SCOTUS ruling that isn't a total rejection of #immunity across the board, which is what the DC Circuit's decision was, would necessarily #delay the proceedings further.
(But if anyone can find a way to create further delays it’s #Trump & his friends on The Court)
#Chutkan has often been typecast as a tough sentencer of Jan. 6 defendants, and she has been. But that's just a sliver of the former public defender's cases.
And she made clear today that she would have trouble sending any 79-year old to a long jail term. #Trump
In Taking Up #Trump’s #Immunity Claim, #SCOTUS Bolstered His #Delay Strategy
By scheduling a hearing for late April on TFG’s assertion that he cannot be prosecuted for his actions in office, the justices increased the chances that he will not face #trial by #Election Day
…The question of when the #trial will ultimately happen is complicated by Judge #Chutkan’s insistence that #Trump not lose any time to prepare for the proceeding while the pause in the case remains in effect. She has suggested in #court papers that, in the spirit of fairness, TFG should have an extra day to prepare for every 1 lost to the stay.
Chutkan froze the #ElectionInterference case on Dec 13. That means, if she sticks to her decision, she owes Trump an additional 82 days of prep time —
time — equivalent to the period between Dec 13 & the originally scheduled trial date of Mar 4. If #SCOTUS renders a ruling on the #immunity decision in June & preparations for the #trial start up again immediately, the extra 82 days could push a trial date into Sept.
At that point, the #GeneralElection campaign would be in full swing — & there would be no guarantee that the trial could be completed by #Election Day.
Trump asked the justices to put on hold an appeals court ruling that rejected his broad claim of #PresidentialImmunity in relation to events leading up to the #Jan6 attack on the Capitol.
The US Circuit Court of Appeals for DC issued a ruling against #Trump on Tues that it said would be implemented Feb 12 unless TFG filed an emergency application at the #SCOTUS.
The stakes are high because if the court rejects Trump's request, the case would return to DC-based US District Judge Tanya #Chutkan, w/the possibility of a #trial going ahead before the Nov election🤞🏻. Chutkan has already backed off on her original plan to hold the trial in March.
When a fed appeals court last wk rejected the claim, it temp paused its ruling, saying it would rtn the case to #trial court Mon, allowing Judge #Chutkan to restart proceedings….the appeals court said it would extend the pause until #SCOTUS rules—if Trump files…for a stay.
Chutkan is at mercy of appellate courts as they weigh Trump’s claim of “immunity” from the federal charges he’s facing. But it was the first time she publicly floated a trial going that deep into 2024 — beyond the GOP nominating contest and convention #legal#TrumpIndictment
A federal judge in Washington formally postponed Trump's March #trial on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election as a key #legal#appeal from #Trump continues to work its way through the courts.
US Dist Judge Tanya #Chutkan on Fri vacated the March 4 trial date but did not immediately set a new date.
The postponement comes as a federal appeals court has yet to resolve a pending appeal from Trump arguing that he is #immune from prosecution for actions he took in the WH.
Judge Tanya #Chutkan called off the March 4 trial date in an order on Friday, saying she will set a new date after Trump's immunity #appeal is resolved.
The elimination of the March 4 start date increases the chances that #Trump's #NewYork case involving allegations of #HushMoney payments to adult film star #StormyDaniels will be the next #trial against TFG. That case is currently set to start on March 25.
Judge will delay #Trump's federal trial as court considers his presidential immunity claim
Judge Tanya #Chutkan called off the March 4 trial date in an order on Friday, saying she will set a new date after Trump's immunity appeal is resolved. #TrumpIndictment#legal
Judge #Chutkan just set an April 2 trial date for a Jan. 6 defendant. Seems unlikely she expects #Trump trial to get back on the books before at least mid-April. #legal#TrumpIndictment
NEW: Judge #Chutkan all but acknowledged today that her March 4 trial date won't hold, as #Trump's 'immunity' appeal continues to grind through the appellate courts. #legal#TrumpIndictment