Judge Tanya Chutkan issues order for Trump’s Jan. 6 case.
Federal Judge Sets Rules for Trump’s Review of Evidence in Election Subversion Trial
A federal judge, Tanya Chutkan, has released a series of rules that former President Donald Trump must follow as he begins to review the evidence presented by special counsel Jack Smith in his criminal trial for allegedly subverting the 2020 election results.
Chutkan’s five-page protective order, released on Friday, outlines the guidelines after Trump’s attorneys requested amendments to Smith’s proposal.
Prosecutors to Share Millions of Pages of Discovery
Following the release of the protective order, prosecutors have indicated that they will begin sharing millions of pages of discovery.
During the hearing, Chutkan granted a small victory to Trump’s lawyers by ruling that the protective order will only cover material deemed sensitive by the Justice Department. Prosecutors estimate that this amounts to approximately a quarter of the total discovery evidence.
The judge also granted the DOJ’s request to designate witness interviews and recordings as “sensitive,” stating that the disclosure of these materials could potentially intimidate witnesses or taint the jury pool.
Access to Discovery Materials Limited
Chutkan rejected Trump’s team’s request to allow a broad array of individuals working with the defense team to view the discovery materials. However, she did note that “unindicted coconspirators” could have access to these materials under the defense’s definition.
Trump himself is permitted to review the sensitive discovery materials, but with certain conditions. Chutkan specified that he must not have access to any device capable of photocopying, recording, or replicating the materials, including a smart cellular device.
Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, is facing a proposed trial date of January 2, 2024, just before the third anniversary of the U.S. Capitol insurrection and the start of primary voting for the Iowa caucuses. His lawyers have until next Thursday to submit their proposal for the trial start date.
Chutkan is expected to address the trial schedule during a hearing on August 28 in Washington, D.C.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
