Judge in Roger Stone case orders Tuesday phone hearing
By Zack Budryk - 02/16/20 04:31 PM EST
The judge overseeing longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone’s trial ordered both the defense and prosecution to appear at a phone hearing Tuesday after all four Justice Department prosecutors withdrew from the case.
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered the hearing Sunday following the prosecutors’ withdrawal, which came after Attorney General Bill Barr overrode their recommendation of a seven- to nine-year sentence, Politico reported.
The withdrawal sparked accusations of political interference, particularly in light of President Trump’s tweets condemning Stone’s prosecution. Barr has denied Trump asked him to intervene but said in an interview last week that Trump tweeting about Justice Department matters was making his job more difficult.
Stone is set for sentencing Thursday on seven felony counts including lying to investigators and witness tampering. Whether the sentencing will proceed as planned remains unclear after Stone’s lawyers moved for a new trial. Johnson rejected an earlier such motion in 2019.
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https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/483319-judge-in-roger-stone-case-orders-tuesday-phone-hearing
