Trial Will Start This Summer
April 9, 2001--
What could be Utah's most
watched trial-- so far,
anyway-- will start this
summer.
That's the word from federal court today
regarding the potentially-explosive Olympic bribery
scandal case. News Specialist John Daley was there.
According to that clock there are 305 days before the
Olympics.
But before we get there, we can expect a
court battle of Olympic proportions. And according to
a federal magistrate's ruling today, the trial of Tom
Welch and Dave Johnson will start in 99 days.
Welch and Johnson were not in court today, but their
attorneys--Max Wheeler and Bill Taylor--were there,
making the case that they need more time, that the
initial June 1st trial date is too soon, and ideally they
need until September 1st.
They say this case is
exceedingly complex, involving 200-plus
witnesses--and more than 900,000 pages of
documents.
Justice Department prosecutors had no comment
outside the courthouse, but inside they conceded that
the case is a challenging one.
Still, they say the defense
has had adequate time to get ready. In the end federal
magistrate Ronald Boyce decided the defense team
will get more time--six weeks more to be exact. He
set the trial date for Monday, July 16.
Max Wheeler/Attorney for Dave
Johnson: "WELL WE CAREFULLY
EVALUATED HOW MUCH TIME WE NEED AND
THAT DOESN'T GIVE US THE TIME THAT
WE THINK WE NEED, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE
HAVE TO WORK WITHIN THE ORDERS OF
THE COURT."
"CAN YOU BE READY BY THAT DATE?"
Bill Taylor/Attorney for Tom Welch:
"WHEN THE JUDGE SAYS BE READY, THEN
YOU HAVE TO BE READY. WE THINK
WE'LL HAVE THE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE
DESCRIBED, BUT WE'LL DO THE BEST WE
CAN TO MEET THE JUDGE'S SCHEDULE."
Also in court today, the defense told the magistrate
that they believe some witnesses--members of the bid
committee's management team--are being pressured
not to cooperate with defense lawyers.
It was a
somewhat vague reference, and they wouldn't say just
who is doing the pressuring.
Bottom line--today we learned the trial almost
certainly will start and be over well before the
Olympics begin. By the way, July 16--ironically--is
the same day the International Olympic Committee
elects it's new president.
