In a motion filed on Nov. 25, the legal team for Doug Perlitz ‘92 asked the U.S. District Court to re-set the deadlines for the filing of pre-trial motions and the start of jury selection. The pre-trial motions were due to be filed on Oct. 29 while jury selection was scheduled to start on Dec. 2.
The defense for Perlitz argued that both the government and the defense have been principally occupied with detention hearings on Perlitz’s possible release on bond. Perlitz’s lawyers have also yet to receive any discovery from the government, except for the government’s initial discovery letter on Oct. 29. But “significant initial production will be made early in the week of Nov. 30,” according to court documents.
Because of the large volume of material to review and the preoccupation with the detention hearings, the defense has requested an extension until Jan. 29, 2010 for the filing of pretrial motions. The defense also requested that jury selection be delayed until April 2010, but also admitted that it is extremely difficult to know if that is a realistic trial date at this time with the logistics of investigation and gathering witnesses from a foreign country.
The Assistant U.S. Attorney Krishna Patel did not object to the motion and the defendant waived his right to a speedy trial.
The U.S. Attorney’s office could not be reached by press time for comment.
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