Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-N.J.) bribery trial will probably be separated from his spouse Nadine Menendez’s, a federal decide dominated Thursday.
Decide Sidney H. Stein dominated that Menendez’s trial will start Could 6 as beforehand scheduled, however his spouse’s trial has now been tentatively pushed again to July, The Related Press (AP) reported. This comes as attorneys for Nadine Menendez argued that her trial ought to be delayed on account of an unspecified medical situation.
“This trial goes ahead with out Mrs. Menendez,” Stein mentioned Thursday, based on the AP. “The federal government goes to have to do that case two instances.”
Legal professionals for Nadine Menendez wrote to Stein earlier this week asking him to delay the trial as a result of she could be present process a surgical process within the subsequent 4 to 6 weeks for a
“critical medical situation.” Her attorneys mentioned Thursday that their shopper wants extra time for testing to grasp the situation.
The senator’s attorneys argued that his trial shouldn’t be held up on account of his spouse’s medical situation, saying that the allegations he faces are a “specter” that “successfully removes his capability to run on this 12 months’s election,” per the AP.
Prosecutors argued that the courtroom ought to delay your complete trial, noting that they didn’t need to should argue the case twice.
“We’re prepared to do that case, we need to do this case,” Assistant U.S. Legal professional Daniel Richenthal mentioned. “We don’t need to do this case twice.”
Additionally they argued that severing Menendez’s trial from his spouse’s “would outcome within the critical inefficiencies and unfairness that the Supreme Court docket and Second Circuit have lengthy held warrant making an attempt collectively defendants charged in a single case with having dedicated crimes collectively,” based on courtroom paperwork.
Stein additionally rejected motions to dismiss the fees and to maneuver the case to New Jersey, based on the AP.
The couple was initially charged in September on allegations they accepted greater than $600,000 in bribes from a gaggle of New Jersey businessmen on behalf of pursuits in Egypt. They’ve since been charged with extra counts, together with conspiring to cowl up alleged bribery schemes with three New Jersey businessmen.
The senator faces 16 costs, whereas his spouse faces 15. They’ve pleaded not responsible to all counts.
The Hill has reached out to attorneys for the senator and his spouse for remark.
The Related Press contributed.
