Somto BisinaFormer US President Donald Trump and his aide, Walt Nauta, have filed an appeal with a federal court in Florida to postpone the criminal trial in the Mar-a-Lago documents case and cancel the scheduled date, as stated in a motion submitted by their attorneys.
Prosecutors had previously requested a postponement from the initial trial date of August 14 to December 11, in order to allow both sides more time for preparation.
However, Trump’s legal team argued in the filing on Monday that a December trial date would not provide them with sufficient time to adequately prepare, deeming the proposed timeline by the government as “unrealistic.”
The attorneys contended that a continuance was necessary and appropriate, urging the court to withdraw the current trial order and postpone the consideration of a new trial date.
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The Department of Justice has not yet commented on the recent filing, which pertains to both Trump and his advisor, Walt Nauta, who has also entered a not guilty plea in the case.
As the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential race, Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 counts on June 13 in federal court in Miami.
The charges allege that he unlawfully retained sensitive national security materials after leaving office in 2021 and lied to authorities during their retrieval attempts.
Trump’s legal team argued in the document that a December trial would be impractical given the logistical requirements of his presidential campaign, the potentially extensive volume of materials requiring analysis, and his involvement in other ongoing legal matters.
The decision on the request for adjournment will ultimately be made by District Judge Aileen Cannon, who presides over the initial stages of the case.
US Special Counsel Jack Smith anticipated objections from Trump’s side when he sought a trial postponement of approximately four months on June 23.
In a separate development, Trump’s aide, Walt Nauta, pleaded not guilty last week in a federal courtroom in Miami to charges of aiding Trump in concealing classified documents upon his departure from the White House.
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