Mike Hubbard’s Trial Delay Request Denied

A judge is refusing to delay next month’s scheduled ethics trial of Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard.

Lee County Circuit Judge Jacob Walker on Friday denied a defense request to delay the trial until August.

Walker says attorneys should be ready for jury selection the week of May 16. Opening arguments would start the following week.

Defense lawyer Bill Baxley told the judge the defense couldn’t be ready by May because millions of documents are involved and he’s only been on the case since February. Baxley said he couldn’t provide an adequate defense.

Prosecutor Matt Hart called that an excuse.

Walker left open the possibility that he still might delay the trial because of appeals of pre-trial rulings.

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