Federal Judge Sets 2027 Trial Date in Key Bridge Collapse Case

More than two years after the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, new details emerged Tuesday during a federal court hearing involving the criminal case tied to the Dali cargo ship disaster.

The Dali lost power before striking the Key Bridge in the early morning hours of March 26, 2024, causing the bridge to collapse and killing six construction workers. Federal prosecutors announced criminal charges in May against the ship’s owners and operators, along with Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, an Indian national who served as the vessel’s technical superintendent.

During Tuesday’s hearing, prosecutors revealed that evidence in the case will include data from more than 100 electronic devices, including cell phones, tablets, and computers. The government also plans to call 14 witnesses, including crew members from the Dali and two related vessels who have remained in the United States since the bridge collapse.

Five potential witnesses attended the hearing alongside their attorneys. All are employees of Synergy Marine and are expected to testify at trial. While none were aboard the Dali at the time of the crash, prosecutors said they have knowledge of the company’s operations and management practices.

Defense attorneys requested a jury trial and pushed for a faster timeline, seeking a January 2027 start date. They also asked the court to separate Nair’s case from the broader corporate case.

Prosecutors opposed the accelerated schedule, noting that the investigation remains in the discovery phase. The government recently turned over two terabytes of evidence to the defense and said additional materials are still being collected and reviewed.

The judge ultimately scheduled the trial to begin on October 4, 2027, with proceedings expected to last approximately seven weeks.

The hearing comes just weeks after the judge overseeing the case approved a request from both sides to pause related civil litigation until the criminal case is resolved.

Federal Judge Sets 2027 Trial Date in Key Bridge Collapse Criminal Case was originally published on 92q.com