In response to the upcoming second term of President-elect Donald Trump, two federal judges have made the decision to delay criminal trials for multiple defendants charged with trespassing on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Reports indicate that Washington, D.C., circuit court judges Carl Nichols and Rudolph Contreras, appointed by Trump and Obama, respectively, have ruled to postpone the trials until after Trump's inauguration. The judges cited the possibility that Trump may intervene in the cases and issue pardons to those convicted once he assumes the presidency and control of the Department of Justice.
This marks the first instance where judges have granted requests from Jan. 6 defendants for trial delays in anticipation of potential Trump pardons.
Contreras, who delayed a trial scheduled for defendant William Pope until late February, expressed that it would be impractical to convene a jury and utilize taxpayer resources if there is a 'real possibility' of a Trump pardon.
Pope, who had his felony obstruction charge dismissed following a Supreme Court ruling in June, now faces misdemeanor violations. His trial, initially set for December, has been rescheduled.
Nichols postponed trials for three other Jan. 6 defendants charged with misdemeanor trespassing. He made the decision after questioning federal prosecutors about the likelihood of the trial proceeding under the new Trump administration. In the absence of a guarantee from prosecutors, Nichols opted to delay the trial until April.
Marina Medvin, an attorney representing two of the defendants in Nichols' court, highlighted that during discussions about setting a trial date, Judge Nichols pressed the prosecutor on whether she could ensure that the case would move forward to trial under the new administration.
Given the lack of assurances from the prosecutor, the trial was postponed as a result of the uncertainty surrounding the potential impact of the incoming administration.
