NYC Mayor Eric Adams trial date set for April
NEW YORK -- The trial of New York City Mayor Eric Adams on corruption charges has been set for April 21, 2025.
The start date is a blow to Adams and his legal team. They had argued for a speedy trial beginning no later than March because of next year's mayoral election. The prosecution was hoping for sometime in May.
Adams' attorney Alex Spiro, in arguing for a speedy trial and getting it over with before the election, said at one point Adams wasn't sitting in the courtroom as a man presumed innocent, and referenced public polling on that.
Judge Dale Ho set April 21 due to the sizeable amount of evidence in discovery. For example, the feds say they have 60-70 devices that they've seized in the case, and up to a third of them haven't been downloaded or searched yet. Prosecutors said the mayor's device is one of them, and they don't know if they'll ever get into it because it is locked.
Adams didn't stop to speak to reporters after the proceedings ended. He didn't show much emotion throughout his court appearance. For much of the proceedings, he looked straight forward, appearing to write something down once or twice, turning only to see highlighted portions of the indictment on a nearby monitor. He did not look at the prosecution when they spoke.
Ho did not rule on the motion the Adams camp put forth to get the bribery charge against him dismissed, but heard the opinion of both sides on it.
Spiro believes one of the corruption charges of a quid pro quo with Turkish officials is too vague in terms of substance and timeline. Prosecutors told the judge that even if one agrees with everything the defense is claiming, it doesn't warrant their motion to dismiss the charge.
Before Adams left, he walked across the street to shake the hands of a group of supporters that were outside holding signs. One sign read "Mayor Adams stood up for New York City. Let's stand up for him." They were chanting "Support our mayor."
The two side will be back in court for a conference with the judge on Dec. 20.
Adams faces corruption charges
Adams faces five federal corruption charges
- Count 1: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery and to receive campaign contribution by foreign national
- Count 2: Wire fraud
- Count 3: Solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national
- Count 4: Solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national
- Count 5: Bribery
Read the full Adams indictment here.
Adams is accused of accepting travel benefits and illegal campaign contributions.
Spiro has argued that accepting travel benefits like travel upgrades does not meet the legal definition of bribery, and that prosecutors should've known that.
"Courtesies to politicians are not federal crimes," Spiro previously said.
He has also criticized prosecutors for referencing events that happened while Adams was Brooklyn borough president and for leaking stories about the case to the media.
"To believe these prosecutors, you'd have to believe that the gentleman of the airlines, 10 years ago, he was the one who predicted that Eric Adams ... would one day be mayor," Spiro previously said.
Adams has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, and said he has no plans to resign.
Following his indictment and a flurry of federal activity, many top officials within the Adams administration either retired or resigned.