In a controversial move, Judge Aileen Cannon suspended Donald Trump’s classified documents case indefinitely. The decision has drawn much criticism as it now leaves Trump to focus on his other trial in which he is accused of sending hush money to a former adult film actress.
Cannon stated that there were multiple jury disputes that needed to be settled before the highly watched case could be tried before a jury. The indefinite suspension that will, according to Cannon, start no earlier than July, pushes the case closer to the 2024 presidential election.
In her justification of the case’s postponement, the judge alleged that some U.S. security officials mishandled some of the classified documents. However, both sides stated that they did not believe the case would proceed in May.
Trump’s cases have been very contentious. The twice-impeached defendant has fought with Judge Juan Merchan in his hush-money case.
Judge Merchan recently threatened Trump with jail time after he found that he violated his gag order for the tenth time.
“It appears that the $1,000 fines are not serving as a deterrent,” said Judge Merchan.
“The last thing I want to do is to put you in jail,” he continued, expressing his hesitancy to jail Trump. “You are the former president of the United States, and possibly the next president as well.”
Merchan elaborated on his reasoning, explaining that holding Trump in jail would make the case proceedings more difficult.
“There are many reasons why incarceration is truly a last resort for you,” he continued, stating that the measure would be “disruptive to the proceedings.”
Despite Merchan’s hesitancy, he stated that he would not allow Trump’s attacks to go unchecked. Furthermore, he stated that Trump’s statements “constitute a direct attack on the rule of law.”
“I cannot allow that to continue,” said Merchan.
Trump has stated that he found the judge’s orders to be “unconstitutional”.
“This judge has taken away my constitutional right,” said Trump as he mulled filing a “constitutional motion”. “If somebody says something about me and I'm not allowed to respond, that's never happened before."
However, Merchan took umbrage with Trump’s claims about the speed of the jury selection, as well as an alleged Democrat bias.
“In doing so, Defendant not only called into question the integrity, and therefore the legitimacy of these proceedings but again raised the specter of fear for the safety of the jurors and of their loved ones,” wrote Merchan.
