A US judge today postponed the trial of William Pope, accused in the 2021 US Capitol riots, until next month, saying there is a "real possibility" that President-elect Donald Trump will pardon him after he takes office next year. The New York Times. 

Pope was scheduled to stand trial early next month on several misdemeanor charges stemming from his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters after he allegedly refused to accept election defeat.

Days after Trump was sworn in as US president last week, he asked a judge to delay the trial until Trump takes office, citing the president-elect's campaign promise to pardon some people involved in the attack.

U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras said during today's hearing that there is a "real possibility" that Trump could pardon the pope, reports CNN.

Contreras said "conservation of resources" justified delaying the upcoming trial, as jury selection would be a "significant burden" on the public as well as the court if a trial were to begin and a pardon later granted.

A new trial date has not been set, and a new hearing is expected in mid-December to request a new trial date next year.