Florida judge dismisses classified documents case against Donald Trump
15 July 2024, 15:50 | Updated: 16 July 2024, 07:39
A Florida judge has dismissed a case against former President Donald Trump relating to classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
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Mr Trump, who survived an assassination attempt on Saturday, was accused of illegally holding onto classified documents.
Florida’s US District Aileen Cannon, a Trump nominee, dismissed the case after ruling that Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the prosecution, was unlawfully appointed to his position.
Mr Smith has rigorously argued against this ruling, which comes just two days after Donald Trump was shot in the ear by a would-be assassin while at a rally.
Read more: 'I’m supposed to be dead’: Donald Trump breaks silence following assassination bid
This legal victory comes in the wake of Mr Trump becoming the first-ever president to be criminally convicted.
The 45th President was found guilty of falsifying business records to commit election fraud.
The court ruled he had paid “hush money” to an adult film star in days leading up to the 2016 election.
He paid actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 to buy her silence.
Saturday evening saw a gunman take aim at the former president during a rally in Pennsylvania, with Mr Trump shot in the ear by the sniper before being rushed off stage by close security.
The bullet narrowly missed Mr Trump’s head after he turned away from the crowd seconds before impact.
Trump later told the New York Post: "I'm not supposed to be here, I'm supposed to be dead".
He said he had survived "by luck or by God" following Saturday's shooting.
The FBI confirmed that 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, a Republican party supporter, was the gunman behind the attack on Saturday.
Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge in Pittsburgh, said that investigators do not yet know if he took the gun without his father's permission.
