US District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled on Monday that special counsel Jack Smith cannot file under seal the names of 84 potential witnesses who may offer incriminating testimony after former President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents.
Cannon in a brief order wrote that she was not convinced that federal prosecutors did not have other means at their disposal to justify shielding the list of potential witnesses from public view.
"The Government's Motion does not explain why filing the list with the Court is necessary; it does not offer a particularized basis to justify sealing the list from public view; it does not explain why partial sealing, redaction, or means other than sealing are unavailable or unsatisfactory; and it does not specify the duration of any proposed seal," Cannon wrote.