MANHATTAN (CN) — A New York judge on Monday ruled that Donald Trump's criminal trial will begin on April 15, refuting the former president's argument that Manhattan prosecutors' late production of evidence was a violation of discovery laws.
"The district attorney of New York County is not at fault for the late production of documents from the U.S. Attorney's Office," New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan said during a Monday hearing, adding that he finds the DA "complied and continues to comply" with rules of discovery.
Trump will stand trial on charges that he falsified business records to cover up hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Trial had been slated to kick off on Monday, but Merchan delayed the start date after the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York provided over 100,000 pages of previously sealed discovery, prompting Trump to request an adjournment.
Trump claimed the district attorney engaged in prosecutorial misconduct by not turning this evidence over to the defense sooner. But according to the district attorney’s office, the delay was Trump’s fault, as he was the one who waited until January to subpoena the documents in the first place.
Merchan held Monday morning’s hearing in an effort to get the full story. Trump, sporting his signature red tie and blue suit, was seated at the defense table in the packed Manhattan courtroom.
It didn’t take long for the judge to appear frustrated with Trump’s arguments, however.
Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche claimed it was the district attorney’s responsibility to turn over the documents to his camp, citing New York criminal procedure law. But when asked to produce case law to support his theory, Blanche was empty-handed. Merchan exploded.
“That you don't have a case right now is really disconcerting, because the allegations that the defense makes in all of your papers about the peoples’ misconduct is incredibly serious, unbelievably serious,” Merchan said. “You’re literally accusing the Manhattan DA's Office and the people assigned to this case of engaging in prosecutorial misconduct and of trying to make me complacent in it. And you don't have a single cite to support that position?”
While Blanche held that prosecutors were required to hang over the evidence in question, Merchan chided him for waiting until January — around two months before the trial was slated to start — to subpoena them.
“Why didn't you do it in June or July?” he asked.
Blanche said it wasn’t the defense’s job.
“It’s not the people’s job, either,” Merchan shot back.
Blanche continued pleading his case to the judge, to no avail. Merchan said the district attorney appeared to be going “so far above and beyond what they were required to do that it’s odd that we’re even here.” He added that he was “shocked” to see Blanche was interpreting this situation so differently.
Merchan took a 45-minute recess before returning to the courtroom to read out his decision and announce the new trial date. Trump shook his head as he did.
“See you all on the 15th,” Merchan said when adjoining court for the day.
Trump told reporters as he left the courtroom that he is “obviously appealing” Merchan’s ruling.
“This was a case could have been brought three and a half years ago, and they decide to wait now, just during the election so that I won't be able to campaign,” Trump said. “We will be appealing.”
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