Menendez’s Defense Pushes for New Trial Over Evidence Missteps

Former Senator Bob Menendez’s attorneys have requested a new trial, arguing that prosecutors’ errors compromised his bribery conviction. They claim unredacted evidence, mistakenly provided to jurors, prejudiced deliberations.

Prosecutors admitted to uploading nine improperly redacted exhibits to a jury laptop, which Menendez’s team says violated court orders and constitutional protections under the speech or debate clause. This clause shields lawmakers from liability tied to legislative acts.

Menendez’s lawyers argued the materials, which included sensitive references to his legislative work, eliminated reasonable doubt and unfairly influenced the jury. They further criticized prosecutors for erasing the laptop post-trial, hindering an investigation into whether jurors viewed the disputed evidence.

Prosecutors maintain the jury likely ignored the material, but Menendez’s team called this claim speculative.

Menendez’s attorneys argued the improperly disclosed evidence unfairly influenced the trial, stating: “While the government now tries to downplay this evidence as ‘of secondary relevance’ and ‘meaningless,’ the unredacted exhibits are the only evidence specifically tying Senator Menendez to an actual, consummated provision of military aid to Egypt. That is why these exhibits were important enough to be featured prominently in the operative indictment itself.”

A ruling on the request is pending as the legal battle continues.