Mark your calendars! The trial in the criminal case of “The United States vs. JOHNNY REID EDWARDS” has set a date!
A federal judge set an October trial date for disgraced two-time Presidential loser John Edwards on campaign finance charges.
U.S. District Judge Carlton Tilley put the trial status in prosecutors' hands, saying the proceedings might be delayed if the Justice Department is tardy turning over key evidence to Edwards' attorneys during the discovery process.
Edwards’ attorneys, Wade Smith and Jim Cooney, had been hoping for a January trial date.
As The ENQUIRER reported previously, last month Edwards was indicted on six felony charges related to money that was used to cover up his affair and child with his mistress Rielle Hunter, a videographer who documented Edwards’ failed 2008 presidential campaign.
After an exhaustive ENQUIRER investigation that prompted the Federal Grand jury’s investigation, Federal prosecutors charge that Edwards accepted $900,000 in contributions from both 100 year old heiress Rachel "Bunny" Mellon and the late Texas banker Fred Barron – far above the legal limit – and filed filing false campaign finance reports to hide the donations and fuel a conspiracy of silence.
Edwards maintains the contributions were “gifts” that didn't need to be reported. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutors have over 300,000 pages of evidence in the case, including financial documents and emails – AND copies of The ENQUIRER which was cited in the historic indictment.
Edwards’ defense team still hasn't received 20,000 documents, and prosecutors said the civil suit between Hunter and former Edwards’ loyalist Andrew Young over Edwards-Hunter sex tape has complicated the release of the legal docs.
A judge filed an order in the civil suit restricting just who could see certain records involved.
Once the criminal court begins all documents and related evidence including the sex tape will become part of the public record unless they are sealed by special court order.
Edwards attended the pre-trial court hearing as well as lawyers representing Rielle Hunter.
