With President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, many Jan. 6 defendants request trial delays, citing Trump’s public promise to consider pardons, while the surge of delay requests complicates the Justice Department’s efforts to prosecute hundreds of Capitol riot cases, CBS reported.

Court documents reviewed by CBS News reveal that defense attorneys are appealing to federal judges in Washington, D.C., requesting that cases be postponed until after Trump’s inauguration. Some attorneys argue that prosecuting Jan. 6 defendants contradicts public interest in light of Trump’s victory, which they see as an endorsement of his stance.

Kansas defendant William Pope, one of those seeking a delay, criticized the Justice Department’s pursuit of charges, stating, “Any further action in these cases is not an ‘administration of justice’ in the public interest… but a belligerent disregard for the will of the American people.” Pope’s request reflects a broader strategy among defendants to defer cases until Trump’s promised pardons could become available.

Read more at Newsmax© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.