In the case against former U.S. President Donald Trump over alleged mishandling of classified documents, the court has ruled that the witnesses involved can remain anonymous.
What Happened: U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has allowed the special counsel prosecuting Trump to keep the identities of potential witnesses confidential, as reported by Reuters on Wednesday.
This decision reverses a previous ruling that would have disclosed the names of certain witnesses, potentially exposing them to harassment and intimidation from Trump and his supporters.
Trump’s legal team included information about the witnesses in a January legal filing, claiming it would aid Trump’s defense. Judge Cannon, whom Trump nominated, initially agreed to make the information public, citing the importance of public access to court records.
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However, Special Counsel Jack Smith, the prosecutor in the case, urged Cannon to reconsider her ruling, arguing that it would unnecessarily expose witnesses to harassment and potential threats. In response, Cannon decided to redact information in public filings that could lead to the identification of witnesses. For now, witnesses will be referred to in court documents using pseudonyms.
Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of illegally retaining highly sensitive records after leaving office in 2021 and obstructing government efforts to retrieve the material, has accused prosecutors of targeting him to damage his campaign. The trial date in the case remains uncertain.
Why It Matters: This case has been a topic of contention, with Trump’s legal team previously arguing for Judge Cannon’s recusal and subpoenaing adult film actress Stormy Daniels‘ communications in a related hush-money case.
Trump has publicly claimed unfair treatment in this case, comparing it to a similar case involving President Joe Biden that resulted in no charges.
Special Counsel Jack Smith has also criticized Judge Cannon’s handling of the case. The decision to keep the witnesses’ identities confidential adds another layer to this high-profile case.
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