Report: Judge in Trump Docs Case Made Errors in Unrelated Trial

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Facts

  • A Reuters report alleges that the judge presiding over former Pres. Trump’s upcoming trial regarding his handling of classified documents, Aileen Cannon, made two errors in a separate June trial. One of these errors reportedly deprived a defendant of his Sixth Amendment right to a public trial.1
  • The report asserts that while presiding over the trial of William Spearman — an Alabama man charged with child exploitation and advertising and distributing child pornography — Cannon closed the courtroom to the public, including Spearman’s family, due to a lack of space.2
  • The Florida-based US District Judge also allegedly neglected the formal procedure of swearing in the prospective jury pool which led to a completely new jury selection before the trial ended abruptly when Spearman pleaded guilty. Critics say her errors could have invalidated the trial.3
  • Cannon has also been critiqued within the context of her experience, as she has only presided over four criminal trials that resulted in jury verdicts. She was appointed to the bench by Pres. Trump in 2020.4
  • The high-profile trial in which Trump faces 40 criminal charges related to his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House is scheduled to begin on May 20, 2024.1

Sources: 1Reuters, 2Forbes, 3CNBC, and 4NBC.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by Salon. As if there weren’t enough questions about Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon, we're now learning that she completely botched two key procedures in a separate hearing, violating a defendant’s constitutional rights. Cannon clearly lacks the experience and command to preside over the nation’s most important cases. If she can’t properly run a low-scrutiny case, how can she be expected to deal with the criminal trial of Donald Trump?
  • Republican narrative, as provided by Washington Examiner. While Cannon made some mistakes in the June trial of William Spearman, they are hardly indicative of her ability to be an effective judge. She made some fairly common procedural mistakes that will serve as a learning lesson, and she's definitely not the first to do so. Cannon is a qualified judge whose youth and energy will bring a fresh and important perspective to the trial.

Predictions