U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon declined to recuse herself from the case of Ryan Routh, who is charged with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump last month. The judge appointed to the federal bench by the alleged victim in Routh’s case brushed aside the defendant’s concerns about Trump’s praise of Cannon and the possibility that he could promote her to even higher office if he’s elected next week.
“I have no control over what private citizens, members of the media, or public officials or candidates elect to say about me or my judicial rulings,” Cannon wrote in an order published Tuesday. “I have never spoken to or met former President Trump except in connection with his required presence at an official judicial proceeding, through counsel,” added the judge who dismissed Trump’s classified documents case in July.
Is this not potential grounds for a mistrial and a solid appeal?
An appeal, sure.
But I doubt they’re going to get a mistrial on it. Dude is guilty as hell. Probably going to lead to reduced sentencing, though. (All though that’s still gonna be at “you’re fucked” levels,)
Edit: even if there is a mistrial, they’ll certainly be allowed to retry.
And the Trump camp wants this?
Right. A mistrial for easily avoidable reasons would be a waste of time and money.
Doubtful. For the same reason that Trump criticizing / threatening judges isn’t grounds for recusal or mistrial.
Yep. Dudes lawyer is probably telling him to go with the flow, knowing this is a perfect setup for mistral.
Eh, by the time this goes to trial Trump could be in office. Then, as day one dictator, Trump declarse anyone who helped Ukraine at all are wartime traitors, use the guy’s weird recruiting thing as evidence, and just summarily execute the guy.