Two federal judges have delayed trials for defendants facing charges connected to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, anticipating potential legal shifts as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. The delays come amid widespread speculation that Trump may issue pardons for individuals involved in the events of that day, particularly for nonviolent demonstrators.
Per Politico:
Over the objection of the Justice Department, U.S. District Judges Carl Nichols and Rudolph Contreras — Trump and Obama appointees, respectively — said they wanted to conserve court resources and avoid hauling in dozens of potential jurors for cases that might be called off in a few weeks.
It’s the first time federal judges have acquiesced to the demands of Jan. 6 defendants for delays in anticipation of potential pardons from Trump, who has pledged to grant clemency to many people charged for their role in the attack on the Capitol.
“There’s a real possibility of that happening,” Contreras said after granting the delay motion offered by defendant William Pope.
Pope, who is representing himself, had been slated to go on trial in December on misdemeanor charges. (A felony obstruction charge against him had already been dropped as a result of the Supreme Court’s June ruling on the matter.) Instead, Contreras is eyeing trial dates in late February.
Trump Signals Possible Pardons
The president-elect’s public statements on pardons immediately intensified discussions within the legal community, raising questions about how such a decision might impact ongoing cases and trial scheduling.
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Biden’s Injustice Dept. has left these people hanging in the wind for 4 years on bogus charges. Time to retire some of the “Justice” people.
The Department of Injustice is about to revert to Justice. Hold on till January.
Will Trump’s DOJ go after that cop that murdered the lady who was entering the building on Jan. 6?