Fort Pierce - Friday February 9, 2024: The Fort Pierce Police Department (FPPD) has advised that there will be temporary road closures around the Federal Courthouse in Fort Pierce on Monday for a closed door hearing in the felony documents case against former President Trump.
Fort Pierce Police are working with other "local, state, and federal partners to enhance security and ensure public safety" states a release from the Police Department. The public should "expect temporary road closures, travel detours, and delays on the roadways directly surrounding the Courthouse," which is located on 101 South U.S. Highway 1, in Fort Pierce.
Trump faces 32 felony counts of willful retention of national defense information in violation of the Espionage Act, 6 felony counts of obstruction-related crimes; and 2 felony counts of false statements under oath. A total of 40 felony charges.
The documents trial is currently scheduled to begin in the Fort Pierce Federal Court, before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, on May 20th of this year.
During the morning session on Monday Judge Cannon will hear from defense attorneys for Trump, and his alleged co-conspirators, Waltine Torre Nauta, and Carlos De Oliveira. Among other pleadings, their lawyers are expected to renew their request for a delay in the start of the trail.
In a 'Motion for Adjournment of Certain Pretrial Motion Deadlines' filed Tuesday, February 6, the defense lawyers announced that they will "file on February 22, at minimum,
a series of motions" relating to:
- dismissing the Superseding Indictment and certain of the charges therein
- regarding presidential immunity
- regarding the Presidential Records Act
- regarding President Trump's Security clearances
- regarding the vagueness doctrine
- regarding impermissible pre-indictment delay
- regarding selective and vindictive prosecution
In the afternoon session, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Justice Department's Special Counsel attorneys will argue against any further delay.
In addition, the Special Counsel attorneys are expecting asking Judge Cannon to reconsider her denial of their request to seal or redact some of the evidence provided to Trumps lawyers during the discovery process.
In their motion they argue that "That discovery material, if publicly docketed in unredacted form as the Court has ordered, would disclose the identities of numerous potential witnesses ... exposing them to significant and immediate risks of threats, intimidation, and harassment, as has already happened to witnesses, law enforcement agents, judicial officers, and Department of Justice employees whose identities have been disclosed in cases in which defendant Trump is involved."
They maintain that Judge Cannon's decision not to seal or redact certain documents is "wrong .... and should be reconsidered."