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Special Counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents case got hit with a huge curveball this week. Judge Aileen Cannon postponed President Donald Trump’s trial indefinitely.
The initial May 20, 2024, trial date was vacated with a new series of pre-trial dates scheduled, per the Gateway Pundit.
According to the Order, a telephone hearing on Grand Jury Matters will be held Wednesday, May 8, at 2 p.m. with a list of other pre-trial matters set to take place through July.
Cannon stated in the Order, “Finalization of a trial date at this juncture—before resolution of the myriad and interconnected pre-trial and CIPA issues remaining and forthcoming—would be imprudent and inconsistent with the Court’s duty to fully and fairly consider the various pending pre-trial motions before the Court, critical CIPA issues, and additional pretrial and trial preparations necessary to present this case to a jury.”
“The Court therefore vacates the current May 20, 2024, trial date (and associated calendar call), to be reset by separate order following resolution of the matters before the Court, consistent with Defendants’ right to due process and the public’s interest in the fair and efficient administration of justice,” she concluded.
According to Newsweek, the decision was made after Judge Cannon temporarily stayed a key May 9th deadline for Trump and two of his co-defendants who were supposed to submit court filings.
This came after President Trump’s lawyer filed a motion regarding the integrity of the classified documents boxes being allegedly compromised during the raid on Mar-a-Lago.
Journalist Julie Kelly posted a copy of the filing which stated, “The Special Counsel’s office disclosed to the court and the Defendants that the prosecution team has failed to maintain the integrity of the contents of at least some of the boxes obtained from Mar-A-Lago.”
Whether Smith will face an investigation for potential evidence tampering is uncertain.