Judge Aileen Cannon of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued a stern response to Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith and prosecutors in former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case. In a filing on Sunday, Cannon expressed disappointment that Smith sought to keep information from the public in the interest of protecting grand jury secrecy and witness safety, despite previous instances where similar concerns were not raised. The order granted in part and denied in part Smith’s motions related to sealing and redacting defense filings in the trial investigating whether Trump mishandled classified documents taken to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach.
Cannon criticized Smith’s handling of the sealed materials in the case, stating that there was no basis to conclude that he could not have defended the integrity of his office while also addressing witness safety concerns. The judge emphasized her disappointment in the developments and expressed concern over the treatment of sealed materials. The decision to indefinitely suspend the start of the trial has caused backlash from legal experts who believe the judge may be displaying bias toward the former president. Smith’s previous stance on unsealing documents to refute defense allegations of prosecutorial misconduct was also referenced in the order.
In relation to Trump’s legal team, Cannon denied proposed redactions in the filing but granted a merits hearing on the redactions in another motion. The former president, along with his co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, are listed in the order. Trump, who faces 40 federal felony counts in the classified documents indictment unsealed in June 2023, also has federal charges from the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. He is currently involved in a criminal hush money trial in Manhattan and faces state felony charges in Georgia over allegations of trying to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.
Despite the legal challenges, Trump has maintained his innocence in all cases and has accused prosecutors of attempting to interfere with his reelection chances in November. The trial proceedings for the mishandling of classified documents taken to Mar-a-Lago have been marred by disputes over sealing and redacting filings, with Judge Cannon criticizing the handling of sealed materials by special counsel Jack Smith and prosecutors. The ongoing legal battles have garnered significant attention as Trump faces multiple criminal charges across different jurisdictions. The granting of a merits hearing on redactions and the halt of the trial’s start pending resolution of legal disputes are notable developments in the high-profile case.
