Judge Keeps Trial Date For Accused Underwear Bomber
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A federal judge in Detroit has refused to push back the trial date for a Nigerian man accused of attempting to blow up a plane in the skies above Michigan.
U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Edmunds said Thursday that Umar Abdulmutallab and his standby counsel have plenty of time to review and respond to evidence that could be presented at the start of his Oct. 11 trial.
Attorney Anthony Chambers argued that he needed more time to look over materials the government might seek to admit at trial. "We believe that the discovery materials should have been turned over to us previously," Chambers told reporters outside the court room, Thursday.
"Prior to this time we had a discussion about the discovery and the indications were that disvovery was complete. Obviously, that was not true," Chambers said.
Abdulmutallab is accused of trying to blow up a plane as it approached Detroit Metropolitan Airport from Amsterdam on Christmas Day 2009.
Judge Edmunds set Oct. 4 as the start of jury selection. Prosecotors expects the trial to last about two weeks.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
