The first hearing in the criminal case against Donald Trump arising from his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election has concluded in Washington, DC.
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan is presiding over the case brought by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith following a grand jury investigation into the allegations against the former president.
Today she ruled on the matter of a protective order in the case and will allow some evidence provided in discovery to be made public if it is not deemed “sensitive” by the government.
Judge Chutkan rejected more restrictive language on the grounds that Mr Trump’s conduct with regard to the non-sensitive discovery is still governed by his release conditions and the rules of the court.
Mr Trump will also be subject to restrictions about how he can view “sensitive” documents. Judge Chutkan said she will be watching closely and warned if his public statement were deemed to be tainting the jury pool then “the greater the urgency will be that we proceed to trial quickly”.
She added: “I will take whatever measures are necessary to safeguard the integrity of these proceedings.”
Prosecutors have asked for a four-to-six-week trial beginning on 2 January 2024.
Source: Independent
