The Department of Justice must turn over discovery materials in the Don Lemon leak-prosecution case by Wednesday, March 26, after a federal judge denied the government's request for a delay [1]. The ruling holds firm the deadline first set when the discovery due date was established last week.

Lemon and his co-defendants — two former CNN producers — are charged under the Espionage Act for allegedly receiving and publishing classified information about U.S. intelligence operations. The defense has argued the prosecution is politically motivated, noting that Lemon has been a vocal Trump critic. The DOJ's motion to delay discovery cited ongoing classification reviews, but the judge found the government had had "ample time" to prepare its disclosures [1].

Legal analysts say the discovery materials could prove pivotal. The defense is seeking internal DOJ communications about the decision to prosecute, any evidence of White House involvement in case selection, and the classified documents at issue — which the defendants argue are already widely known through prior media reporting.

The case has drawn comparisons to past leak prosecutions that collapsed when the government was unable or unwilling to disclose classified evidence in open court. If the DOJ fails to meet the Wednesday deadline, the defense is expected to move for sanctions or dismissal.

A status hearing is scheduled for Friday, March 28.

-- SAMUEL CRANE, Washington