U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson said he will decide on the motion without a hearing to conserve the resources of the court and the parties.
Munson said the filing of an opposition to motion is due by 3:30 p.m. on May 21.
“Should defendants require more time to file their reply to the opposition, they may so move the court,” his order stated.
On May 11, the federal government filed an application for extension for filing its response to the motions filed by Villagomez and the Santos couple.
U.S. Attorney Leonardo M. Rapadas said this is the federal government’s first request for extension and it was made because they needed more time to respond to the multiple motions.
He said their request for an extension should have no effect on previously published dates.
But on the following day, Villagomez’s counsel David J. Lujan filed a response asking the court to deny the federal government’s motion for a week’s extension.
Lujan said the federal government, with its vast resources, manpower and technology at its disposal, has failed to cite any compelling reason why its motion to extend time for filing a response should be granted.
Lujan said the federal government failed to file a brief, memorandum or at a minimum, an affidavit supporting its motion.
He said his client would stipulate to a hearing on the matter at 1:30 p.m. today if the court decides to do so.
The defendants filed separate motions to dismiss the case or set a new trial for prosecutorial misconduct.
The defendants argued that “the entire jury panel was rigged, contaminated by a squad of witnesses’ relatives.”
Villagomez and the Santos couple were convicted by a jury for conspiracy, wire fraud, theft of federal funds and bribery.
