NEW YORK — Federal prosecutors on Tuesday urged a choose to reject U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s request to delay his bribery trial scheduled for subsequent spring by two months, till July.
Prosecutors argued in opposition to the postponement per week after protection legal professionals supplied a number of explanation why they are saying a trial of the Democrat and codefendants, together with his spouse, must be delayed.
The senator gave up his place as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after his September arrest.
Prosecutors mentioned the unique May 6 trial date was applicable and drew no objections when it was introduced though circumstances had been the identical.
“The schedule was and remains reasonable, and in accord with the strong public interest in a speedy trial,” prosecutors wrote.
Defense legal professionals cited over 6.7 million paperwork to be reviewed, an “unprecedented” foreign-agent cost and complicated authorized inquiries to be addressed as they requested for a delay of a trial now scheduled for May 6. They mentioned a two-month adjournment would nonetheless carry defendants to trial inside 10 months of their arrests.
Four defendants, together with Menendez, have pleaded not responsible to a bribery conspiracy cost that alleges that Menendez and his spouse accepted bribes of money, gold bars and a luxurious automotive from three New Jersey businessmen who wished the senator’s assist and affect over overseas affairs.
The senator, his spouse and a 3rd defendant have additionally pleaded not responsible to a cost that they conspired to make the most of the senator as an agent of the Egyptian authorities though he was prohibited from doing in order a member of Congress.
In asking for a delay, protection legal professionals wrote, “Given the complexity of this case and the seriousness of the charges at issue, the speed with which this case is proceeding is extraordinary.”
They mentioned they plan to ask Judge Sidney H. Stein in Manhattan to dismiss the indictment on a number of grounds, together with for constitutional and sufficiency causes and since New York federal court docket is the mistaken venue.
Prosecutors mentioned of their letter to the choose that the voluminous quantity of proof turned over to the protection mustn’t delay the trial as a result of it was in step with what the federal government promised on the first convention in October.
“In short, if there were a right to have multiple months to digest discovery prior to filing motions, as the defendants appear to suggest, practice in this district would look quite different. The current schedule set by the Court is expedited, but reasonable,” prosecutors mentioned.
