Judge considers Edwards trial delay

A federal judge next week will consider a motion to postpone the July trial date for former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards. 

The hearing was scheduled Monday and will take place in a Greensboro, N.C. federal court on June 21 at 11 a.m., according to the U.S. District Court for the middle district of North Carolina. 

{mosads}The joint motion, filed last Friday by federal prosecutors and Edwards’s defense team, asks the court to push back the July 15 trial date and the deadline to file pre-trial motions, which was set for June 15, citing the large amount of materials in the case.

“In light of the large volume of discovery materials to be provided by the government, both parties believe it is necessary to allow additional time for the filing of motions beyond the current deadline,” the attorneys wrote. “Moreover, because of the large volume of discovery material, the need to file pre-trial motions and to properly prepare for trial, both parties seek the continuance of this matter from the July trial term.”

On June 3, Edwards pleaded not guilty to six federal charges related to alleged campaign finance law violations resulting from his efforts to cover up his extramarital affair with former campaign videographer Rielle Hunter. 

Prosecutors argue that hundreds of thousands of dollars given to Hunter by two prominent campaign donors, after it was reported that she and Edwards had an affair, constitute an illegal campaign contribution.

Edwards claims that he did nothing illegal and that he never thought about breaking the law.