Attorneys representing former President Donald Trump are troubled by recent revelations in the classified documents case prosecuted by special counsel Jack Smith. They are seeking to extend deadlines and submit additional motions, potentially including a request for sanctions, due to discrepancies between the physical boxes of documents and their digital scans.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has allowed the defense to file an extra reply brief on May 6, as both sides dispute the timeline for expert disclosures related to the case. Prosecutors admitted on May 3 that the files were not in the correct order, acknowledging misrepresentations to the court on the matter.
President Trump’s legal team expressed deep concern over learning about these facts nearly a year after the charges were filed. They argue that this revelation exposes the prosecutors’ consistent failure to comply with discovery obligations.
The defense plans to request sanctions against the special counsel based on the discovery materials provided and may pursue a motion to dismiss charges if the handling of key evidence cannot be reliably demonstrated. They also intend to use classified information in witness cross-examination and may hire experts to address deficiencies in evidence handling procedures.
Additionally, the defense is seeking all pertinent communications and documents related to the handling of evidence by the “filter team” and “investigation team.” They are also interested in understanding the chain of custody for the boxes stored in FBI offices and flown to Washington.
Overall, the defense aims to clarify the discrepancies between physical evidence and digital scans, as well as the circumstances that led to the prosecutors’ disclosure of these issues. Please rewrite this sentence.
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