On Monday, a U.S. district court judge in New York paused the case involving former President Donald Trump and charges of inciting an insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6. This was done amid Trump’s appeal to dismiss the case.
The case was brought by D.C.-based prosecutors, with Judge Lornes Bates ruling that the proceedings should be at least temporarily halted. Bates said that the government had endured an emotional and unprecedented attack on our nation’s sacred Capitol building.
In the wake of this historic event, Bates said it was important the legalities play out. In September, the Department of Justice indicted Trump for inciting the riot. The charges against him described him as using language to spur fear and violence.
Prosecutors at the time argued that Trump knew of police efforts to stop the violent rioters, and yet he continued to urge them on. Trump has since denounced the violence and said he was fully committed to an orderly transfer of power.
Still, he is appealing the case, as his legal team claims it has violated his First Amendment right to free speech. The Department of Justice has argued that Trump was knowingly inciting violence, and that this is a matter of public safety that should be tried in court.
With the trial now paused, the issue of what role Trump had in the events of Jan. 6 is left unresolved. This could mean a much longer wait until a resolution is made, or until Trump’s appeal is rejected. In either case, this case has the potential to set a serious precedent when it comes to the use of inflammatory language by a president or public figure.
