Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Keller Jr. openly admitted at the arraignment of New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) on Friday that the prosecution in her federal case is still sorting through the evidence.
“I am going through the discovery right now,” Keller told U.S. District Judge Jamar Walker, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, according to a report published in NOTUS.
The admission came as James, who pleaded not guilty in Norfolk, Virginia, faced a courtroom pressing the government for clarity and timeliness in its preparations.
“Normally, prosecutors fully investigate a case before pursuing an indictment and know well exactly what evidence exists to support criminal charges. However, this case is anything but normal,” the report read.
When Keller requested until mid-November to complete evidentiary disclosures, Judge Walker rejected the request.
“Waiting nearly a month after an indictment is not consistent with how we operate here,” Walker said.
Further remarks from Keller exposed the government’s lack of readiness. He proposed a two-week trial and estimated there would be eight to ten witnesses. James’ defense lawyer, Abbe Lowell, countered that he would “be shocked” if there were that many.
When asked whether the pretrial services report had been received, Keller stuttered and turned to a colleague, saying, “We have not, your honor. Oh, we have?”
“Do you need a moment?” the judge asked, referring to the lawyer’s apparent lack of preparation.
The hearing lasted under an hour and underscored that the team prosecuting James appears to be assembling its case as it moves forward.
Observers noted that this situation mirrors another recent prosecution in Virginia—that of former FBI Director James Comey—in which the government admitted it was “just getting our hands around discovery.”
Meanwhile, after her arraignment, James appeared before a supportive crowd and accused the justice system of being used as “a tool of revenge.”
https://www.rawstory.com/letitia-james-2674232588/
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