Deaver’s Trial for Perjury to Begin July 13

A federal judge today set the perjury trial of lobbyist Michael K. Deaver for July 13, despite an expected Supreme Court appeal by the former White House aide.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson denied a defense request to put off the trial to September as Deaver’s lawyers prepared to file a new appeal with the high court that could delay the proceeding.

“I intend to go forward July 13 unless the Supreme Court tells me otherwise,” Jackson said.

Deaver, who resigned as deputy White House chief of staff in May, 1985, is accused in a five-count indictment of lying to the grand jury and the House subcommittee that investigated his lobbying activities for possible ethics law violations.

Last week, Deaver lost another round in his legal challenge to the authority of independent counsel Whitney North Seymour Jr. to prosecute him. The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals here refused to rule on Deaver’s latest appeal.

Deaver contends the court appointment of a special prosecutor violates the Constitution’s separation-of-powers doctrine.

An earlier constitutional challenge to Deaver’s indictment was rejected by the appellate court and Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

Deaver’s attorneys, meanwhile, disclosed in court that they had given Seymour a large stack of documents relating to their defense that Deaver’s mental state was impaired by problems with alcohol. The defense is expected to argue that Deaver’s drinking problem impaired his ability to recall certain conversations and meetings in testimony to the grand jury and congressional investigators.