In a scathing filing, the special counsel pushed back on Judge Aileen Cannonā€™s interpretations of laws that could define the case against Trump

Special CounselĀ Jack SmithĀ went toe-to-toe with U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon over her requests for jury instructions inĀ Donald Trumpā€™sĀ classified documents case.

In aĀ scathing filingĀ submitted Tuesday, Smith accused Cannon of operating on an ā€œunstated and fundamentally flawed legal premiseā€ when she requested that the parties in the case draft different versions of their proposed jury instructions based on their competing interpretations of laws governing classified materials and presidential records.

Trump has argued that his retention of classified documents after his ouster from the White House was perfectly legal. Claiming that he both unilaterallyĀ telepathically declassifiedĀ the documents, and that they were simply personal records he was already authorized to take. The former presidentā€™s trial on 40 charges related to his alleged mishandling of the documents is scheduled to begin in May, but willĀ likely be delayed.

  • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    she requested that the parties in the case draft different versions of their proposed jury instructions based on their competing interpretations of laws governing classified materials and presidential records.

    Can someone inform me how jury instructions are normally created?

    This ā€œdefendant and prosecutor write your jury instructionsā€ seems like a blatant attempt to get the more favorable one to Trump (the lawyers will always try the most extreme reading) and then try to wipe her hands clean.