{"id":2600512,"date":"2026-05-08T17:39:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T21:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-comey-criminal-trial-over-86-47-post-set-for-july-15\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T17:40:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T21:40:08","slug":"james-comey-criminal-trial-over-86-47-post-set-for-july-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-comey-criminal-trial-over-86-47-post-set-for-july-15\/","title":{"rendered":"James Comey criminal trial over &#8217;86 47&#8242; post set for July 15"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjames-comey-criminal-trial-over-86-47-post-set-for-july-15%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2600512&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A federal judge in North Carolina has set a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-judge-sets-date-for-trumps-first-criminal-trial\/\" title=\"...&#039;s initial criminal ... date fixed by New York ...\">criminal trial date<\/a> for former FBI Director James Comey over allegations that a now-deleted Instagram post-<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >showing seashells arranged<\/a> to display \u201c86 47\u201d with the caption \u201cCool shell formation on my beach walk\u201d-was a threat to President Donald Trump.  <\/p>\n<p>In a written order, U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan scheduled the trial to begin on July 15 and had Comey\u2019s first court appearance postponed; Comey is expected to enter a not guilty plea on june 30 rather of Monday. The judge also required defense motions to dismiss and other pretrial challenges to be filed by June 5, with a pretrial conference on or before May 29.  <\/p>\n<p>Comey\u2019s case involves two charges tied to the interpretation of \u201c86\u201d as slang for eliminating someone, with \u201c47\u201d referring to Trump as the 47th president. comey later removed the post and said he did not intend any violent or threatening meaning. the prosecution is described as part of renewed efforts by the Trump governance to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-atf-nominee-promises-to-give-hunter-biden-gun-background-check-form-to-senate-probe-any-crimes\/\" title=\"Biden ATF Nominee Promises To Give Hunter Biden Gun Background Check Form To Senate, Probe Any Crimes\">pursue criminal charges<\/a> against a prominent critic, following an earlier dismissal of a separate Comey indictment.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>A federal judge on Friday set a criminal trial date for former FBI Director <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/james-comey\/\">James Comey<\/a> over allegations that a social media post containing the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4552810\/blanche-comey-86-47-seashell-photo-trump\/\">phrase \u201c86 47\u201d<\/a> spelled out using seashells amounted to a threat against President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In a written order issued Friday, U.S. District Judge\u00a0Louise Flanagan in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/north-carolina\/\">North Carolina<\/a> scheduled the trial to begin on July 15 and agreed to postpone Comey\u2019s first appearance, which had originally been set for Monday. Instead, Comey is now expected to enter a not guilty plea on June 30.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4560816\/mine-safety-firing-sues-trump-marvit\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Federal mine safety official sues Trump over firing<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4560644\/doj-seeks-strip-ex-ambassador-citizenship-cuba-spying\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DOJ seeks to strip ex-ambassador of citizenship over Cuba spying scheme<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4560441\/cole-allen-doj-lawyers-recuse-themselves-whca-dinner-shooting-ties\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Cole Allen requests DOJ lawyers recuse themselves due to WHCD shooting ties<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A collage of former FBI Director James Comey and President Donald Trump. (AP Photos)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Flanagan also directed Comey\u2019s attorneys to file any motions to dismiss and other pretrial challenges by June 5, after defense lawyers previewed plans to argue the case amounts to a selective and vindictive prosecution. A pretrial conference is scheduled to occur on or before May 29.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The longtime Trump adversary faces two criminal charges stemming from a since-deleted <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/instagram\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2457\">Instagram<\/a> post last May showing seashells arranged to display the numbers \u201c86 47\u201d alongside the caption, \u201cCool shell formation on my beach walk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump allies and administration officials argued the message amounted to a veiled threat against the president, citing the slang use of \u201c86\u201d to mean getting rid of or eliminating someone or something. Trump is the 47th president of the United States.<\/p>\n<p>Comey later removed the post and denied any violent intent.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message,\u201d Comey wrote afterward. \u201cI didn\u2019t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The prosecution marks a renewed effort by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Trump administration<\/a> to pursue criminal charges against one of the president\u2019s most prominent critics after a judge last year <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3897002\/james-comey-letitia-james-indictments-tossed-lindsey-halligan\/\">dismissed a separate indictment<\/a> against Comey on unrelated allegations.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4560366\/judge-cancel-second-comey-court-appearance-request-lawyers\/\">JUDGE TO CANCEL SECOND COMEY COURT APPEARANCE AT REQUEST OF HIS LAWYERS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Comey <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4550485\/doj-weighs-classified-leak-charges-comey-legal-pressure-builds\/\">initially appeared in federal court<\/a> <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">in\u00a0Virginia\u00a0on April 29<\/span>, shortly after the new charges were filed. His lawyers later asked to cancel Monday\u2019s arraignment in North Carolina on the grounds that the initial appearance had already occurred. Prosecutors did not oppose the request, and Flanagan granted it.<\/p>\n<p>Flanagan, who serves in New Bern, North Carolina, was appointed to the federal bench by former President\u00a0George W. Bush.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Judge sets July 15 trial for ex-FBI chief Comey over \u201c86 47\u201d seashell threat allegation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2600513,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25281535222884_d5f301.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[79356,34194,7076,51149,79355],"class_list":["post-2600512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-1986-47","tag-criminal-trial","tag-doj","tag-james-comey","tag-july-15"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25281535222884_d5f301.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2600512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2600512"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2600512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2600516,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2600512\/revisions\/2600516"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2600513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2600512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2600512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2600512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}