Today, the fourth pre-trial session for the case of the United States against the developers of Samourai Wallet was held in the Southern District of New York.
This marks the second occasion that the two developers, Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, have jointly appeared in public since the last status conference that took place on September 17, 2024.
Today’s session was the briefest and least substantial among the four pre-trial hearings conducted to date.
Pre-Trial Motion Timeline
During the hearing, both the prosecution and the defense established and concurred on the timeline for pre-trial motions, which is outlined below:
- May 9, 2025 — Initial motion
- June 6, 2025 — The prosecution’s reply to the initial motion
- June 20, 2025 — Responses to the prosecution’s reply
Expert Testimony Disclosure
The prosecution is set to disclose its expert testimony by July 15, 2025, while the defense is anticipated to provide theirs by August 8, 2025.
Additional expert disclosures may also be allowed on July 16, 2025, at 10:00 AM EST, coinciding with the date of the upcoming in-person pre-trial session.
Hill to Stay in Lisbon
Hill’s attorney inquired with Judge Richard Berman, who is overseeing the case, whether the court would accommodate a request for Hill to be exempt from attending future pre-trial sessions, given that he currently resides with his spouse in Lisbon, Portugal, and the costs associated with traveling back to New York City are high.
His attorney added that pre-trial services were “supportive” of this proposition.
The judge remarked that he did not perceive any issues with this arrangement.
Rodriguez Shows Appreciation
Following the hearing, Rodriguez expressed to Bitcoin Magazine his gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the Peer-to-Peer Rights Fund, which aids in financing the developers’ legal defense.
Those interested are still welcome to contribute to the fund.
Trial Commencement Date
The trial is scheduled to commence on November 3, 2025.