Phila. DA’s trial moved back a few weeks
Despite his expressed desire for a speedy resolution to the matter, the judge overseeing Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams’ federal bribery and corruption case on Friday postponed the trial until next month.
U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond set a June 19 trial date — nearly three weeks later than the May 31 date he set last month — arguing that it was in the public’s interest to have the case resolved sooner rather than later.
The judge’s decision came after a joint motion from prosecutors and Mr. Williams’ defense that they needed more time to file and argue pretrial motions. The request came after prosecutors filed an additional set of charges against the district attorney Tuesday.
Judge Diamond had set an unusually aggressive schedule for bringing the case against the embattled district attorney before a jury. In an order issued April 11, he chided prosecutors, who had sought more time to prepare their case, and said they should have been ready from the moment they indicted the district attorney.
Recent high-profile corruption cases involving elected officials ranging from former U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah to former state Sen. Vincent J. Fumo took nearly a year to develop from indictment to trial date. Judge Diamond hoped to shorten that process for Mr. Williams to a span of 10 weeks.
“I am hard-pressed to think of a case where the public’s right to a speedy trial is more pressing than it is here,” the judge wrote in the April 11 order. “The largest prosecutor’s office in the commonwealth is being run by someone who is not licensed to practice law and is himself charged with 23 federal crimes.”
Until this week, Mr. Williams’ lawyer, Thomas Burke, had maintained he would be ready by the May 31 trial date.
Mr. Williams is accused of misspending nearly $10,000 of campaign donations on personal expenses including massages, facials and fancy dinners, as well as accepting gifts worth thousands of dollars from two wealthy businessmen seeking his assistance with their legal woes.
In addition, prosecutors allege he stole $20,000 meant to pay for his mother’s nursing home care to cover some of his bills.
Mr. Williams, 50, has denied any wrongdoing but announced before his indictment March 21 that he did not intend to run for re-election.
Although he agreed to a suspension of his law license while he remains under indictment, Mr. Williams has vowed to stay in his post until the end of his term.