The U.S. Supreme Court has granted former President Donald Trump’s request to determine if he is immune from prosecution for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election results.
The court will examine the extent of a former president’s immunity from criminal prosecution for actions during their time in office.
The timeline “is a blow to Smith,” attorney Jonathan Turley said. “It has constructively created such a stay by scheduling the argument. Keep in mind, even if Smith prevails, pre-trial work must wait for the return of the mandate.”
The order setting argument on immunity for April 22 is a blow to Smith on the calendar. Rather than granting a stay, it has constructively created such a stay by scheduling the argument. Keep in mind, even if Smith prevails, pre-trial work must wait for the return of the mandate
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) February 28, 2024
The oral arguments are set to start in April, delaying the trial date previously set for March.
The court order has paused pre-trial work until a decision on immunity is reached.
“Even if the Court issues a decision before June in favor of the government, the trial court must hash out discovery and other motions,” Turley said. “That would push the trial closer to the November election in tension with existing DOJ policies.”
The outcome could impact Trump’s prosecution and other related cases, potentially affecting the November elections.
