Special counsel Jack Smith requested a trial date of Jan. 2, 2024 for the case against former President Donald Trump. The case revolving around the aftermath of the 2020 election could play a major role in the upcoming Republican nominating contests and would take place right before the crucial Iowa caucuses.
Smith filed the request Thursday, stating that the “case in chief will take no longer than four to six weeks.”
According to the prosecutors, the date would “vindicate the public’s strong interest in a speedy trial” and it would serve the “interests of justice, while also protecting the defendant’s rights and ability to prepare for the trial.”
As part of the proposed schedule, jury selection would start on Dec. 11, 2023.
The filing states that this schedule would allow Trump’s attorneys “almost two months” to file motions and “roughly five months before the start of trial for the defense to review discovery.”
The legal filing cited a number of high-profile federal cases which were carried out in a timely fashion. One of the cases involved charges against former Trump adviser Paul Manafort, which Smith stated took five months from indictment to conclusion.
The special counsel also cited “more than 1,000 individual defendants” related to the Jan. 6, 2021 protests at the U.S. capitol.
“The fair and efficient administration of the defendant’s single criminal case pales in comparison to that challenge,” Smith wrote.
The former president wrote on Truth Social that “Deranged Jack Smith has just asked for a trial on the Biden Indictment to take place on January 2nd., just ahead of the important Iowa Caucuses. Only an out of touch lunatic would ask for such a date, ONE DAY into the New Year, and maximum Election Interference with IOWA!”
He further said that the trial should “never take place due to my First Amendment Rights, and massive BIDEN CORRUPtION, should only happen, if at all, AFTER THE ELECTION.”
Trump criticizes federal prosecutors for requesting a Jan. 2, 2024 trial date in the special counsel's criminal case over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election
A Jan. 2 start date means Trump may need to spend weekdays in court in the crucial first 2 months the election year pic.twitter.com/VEiL24R2ca
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) August 10, 2023
The trial date recommendation also comes as the Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney’s office is also considering charges related to Trump’s actions following the 2020 election.
