PHOENIX — The Arizona judge overseeing the criminal trial of the former Backpage.com owners has granted a motion by the defense to move the trial date to January 2021, due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 health crisis in the state.
U.S. District Court Judge Susan Brnovich filed a ruling yesterday stating that “the Court feels that it cannot ensure the health and safety of all trial participants at this time.”
Judge Brnovich cited the number of people expected in the courtroom for the high-profile trial as one of the reasons for the postponement until next year. At a minimum, the judge calculated there might be 40 people in the courtroom, including prosecuting attorneys, defendants, their attorneys and jurors.
The judge also mentioned that compelling out-of-town witnesses and lawyers to travel to Arizona during the current pandemic was “fraught with risk.”
The trial, originally scheduled for May 2020, had last been postponed in February until August 17.
Former Backpage.com owners Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin and others are accused by the government of a number of alleged crimes over their ownership of a popular adult-oriented classifieds website.
Backpage.com was shuttered and seized by federal authorities in 2018. They accuse the company of “participation in a conspiracy to facilitate and promote prostitution,” and also of money laundering, human trafficking and other charges.
Last October, U.S. District Court in Arizona Judge Susan Brnovich rejected a Motion to Dismiss filed by the defense for the former Backpage.com owners.
For more of XBIZ's coverage of the Backpage.com trial, click here.