A federal choose on Tuesday granted former FBI Director James Comey’s request to delay his criminal trial for allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump by posting a photograph of seashells.
U.S. District Choose Louise Wooden Flanagan scheduled the trial to start on Oct. 21.
The previous FBI director’s arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 30.
Prosecutors didn’t object to the request to delay the proceedings.
Comey was charged with threatening to kill Trump by posting a photo on Instagram of seashells on a seashore organized within the numbers “86 47.” Citing the slang that means of “86” as to “nix” or “get rid” of one thing, allies of the president allege that the publish was a veiled risk in opposition to Trump, who’s the forty seventh president.
Following backlash over the publish, Comey eliminated the photograph from Instagram and mentioned he was unaware that the publish may very well be related to violence.
Critics of Trump say the indictment is one other effort by the administration to punish the president’s perceived enemies after a choose final 12 months threw out an indictment in opposition to Comey on unrelated prices.
Former FBI Director James Comey speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill Washington, Dec. 17, 2018.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
“Properly, they’re again. This time a couple of image of seashells on a North Carolina Seaside a 12 months in the past,” Comey mentioned in a video posted on-line after the seashell indictment was unsealed. “And this may not be the tip of it, however nothing has modified with me. I am nonetheless harmless, I am nonetheless not afraid, and I nonetheless imagine within the impartial federal judiciary, so let’s go.”
At a press convention saying the fees final month, appearing Legal professional Common Todd Blanche argued that Comey’s publish crossed the road between First Modification-protected speech and speech that warrants prosecution.
“It isn’t a really troublesome line to take a look at, and it isn’t, in my thoughts, a troublesome line for one to cross over, someway,” Blanche mentioned. “We can’t, you aren’t allowed to threaten the President of america of America. That is not my choice. That is Congress’s choice, and a statute that they handed that we cost a number of instances a 12 months.”
