Inside Judge Cannon’s 'particularly problematic' exception in latest ruling: ex-US attorney

20 May 2024

Much to special counsel Jack Smith's frustration, Judge Aileen Cannon has repeatedly delayed the trial for his Mar-a-Lago documents case against former President Donald Trump. Cannon has postponed the trial indefinitely, and it appears most unlikely the trial will take place before the 2024 presidential election.

On Sunday, May 19, Cannon made a decision in the case that former federal prosecutor Joyce White Vance considers "particularly problematic."

Cannon, a Trump-appointed federal judge, wrote, "The Court does not authorize Defendant Trump's proposed redactions to witness statements in Exhibit 9." And according to Vance, who is often featured as a legal analyst on MSNBC, this is a problem because revealing a witness' testimony could put the person at risk.

In her Civil Discourse Blog, Vance explained, "The judge has already agreed to redact witnesses' names from the motion because they would be exposed to risk if they were made public. Judge Cannon, as a former federal prosecutor, and based on specific arguments prosecutors made here, should understand that even when a name is withheld, revealing a witness' testimony can be sufficient to identify them."

Vance added, "She seems OK with that, though. That's unacceptable in a case with a defendant like Trump."

Newsweek's Kate Plummer, reporting on Cannon's decisions in Smith's case, notes, "Cannon has long faced criticism and calls to recuse herself from the case for making a number of decisions that some say have favored the former president. Earlier this month, for instance, Cannon indefinitely suspended the start of the trial while other legal disputes related to the case are settled."

Plummer adds, "Vance said that Cannon delayed the case because 'the judge seems to have no appetite for justice in this matter.'"

Read Newsweek's full article at this link.

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