By Michael V. Cusenza
Former borough Rep. George Santos on Tuesday appeared at a status conference for his case at Central Islip federal court.
According to federal prosecutors’ summary of Tuesday’s proceedings, Jacob Steiner from the government told the Hon. Joanna Seybert that they expect plea negotiations to continue. Santos’s attorney argued against moving up the trial date due to the large amount of documents to review. The judge mentioned that she was inclined to keep the date in September, but if her trial schedule changes they can revisit the discussion.
File Photo
Former Congressman George Santos
On Monday, both parties submitted a proposed joint agenda for Tuesday’s status conference:
- Production of Rule 16 Material: The government continues to produce discoverable material to the defendant on a rolling basis pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 16. The government has made prior productions of material to the defendant on June 27, 2023, Sept. 1, 2023 and Oct. 27, 2023. The government anticipates making another production of material to the defendant tomorrow, which will substantially complete the production of discoverable material currently in the government’s possession. The government will continue to produce discoverable material on a rolling basis.
- Trial Date: The government respectfully renews its request for a trial date in May or June 2024 in this matter. At the last status conference, the Court set a trial date of Sept. 9, 2024, due to other criminal trials scheduled before the Court in Spring 2024. The government respectfully requests that, if any of those matters have been resolved or are scheduled to be resolved in the coming weeks, that the Court reconsider the government’s request for an earlier trial date. Defense counsel opposes the government’s request for an earlier trial date.
- Pre-Trial Schedule: The government respectfully submits the following proposed pre-trial schedule for the Court’s consideration:
- Pre-Trial Motions: Initial Defense Brief Due – Jan. 19, 2024; Government Response Due – Feb. 23, 2024; Defense Reply Due – March 8, 2024.
- Expert Disclosures Pursuant to Rule 16(a)(1)(G): Initial Expert Disclosures – Eight Weeks Before Trial; Rebuttal Expert Disclosures – Six Weeks Before Trial
- Motions in Limine: Initial Briefs Due – Five Weeks Before Trial; Responses Due – Three Weeks; Before Trial Replies Due – Two Weeks Before Trial
- Witnesses/Exhibits/Section 3500/Rule 26.2 Materials: Three Weeks Before Trial
- Final Pretrial Conference: One Week Before Trial
- Next Status Conference – Jan. 23, 2024
