Federal judge sets Comey criminal trial for July 15 in North Carolina

A federal judge Friday scheduled former FBI Director James Comey's upcoming criminal trial for July 15 at her court in North Carolina, after a grand jury in the state indicted him on two criminal charges.

The decision comes a day after the same judge agreed to cancel Comey's first court appearance in the state, because he had already surrendered himself to authorities and appeared in a Virginia court for the same case. His appearance was scheduled for Monday.

Comey was indicted by a grand jury in North Carolina last month for posting a photo of shells on a beach last year with the inscription "86-47" that prosecutors alleged was a threat against the president. 

U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan, who will oversee the trial, instructed Comey's legal team to file all of its pretrial motions by June 5 and said Comey can make his first official appearance in her court to enter his plea on June 30.

Comey's team is expected to frame the case as a retribution campaign and will seek to toss the new indictment as selective and vindictive prosecution, according to The Hill.

The former director has been officially charged with making a threat against the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.