A criminal trial of former Gov. Mike Easley’s top aide, Ruffin Poole, is slated to begin April 26, despite a request from Poole’s attorney that the start date be pushed back to late summer.

U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle estimated the trial would take five to eight days. He asked prosecutors to turn over their evidence to Poole’s attorney, Joe Zeszotarski, by Feb. 19. He told Zeszotarski to finish filing motions by March 12.

Boyle gave attorneys some leeway in meeting those deadlines and in the trial’s start date, but he encouraged promptness.

“The more responsive we are to the timeliness, the better off everyone will be,” he said.

In setting the trial for April, Boyle also chided Zeszotarski for asking the court to begin the trial in August. Zeszotarski said he had a full workload from other clients and that he would need more time to review documents in the case.

“I respect that, but it’s something you’re going to have to work out,” Boyle responded.

Poole and his attorney declined to comment while leaving the federal courthouse in Raleigh.

Poole’s trial would be the most significant development to date in ongoing state and federal investigations into Easley’s conduct while in office. On Jan. 21, a grand jury indicted Poole on 51 corruption counts, including extortion, bribery, racketeering, and money laundering.

The indictment alleges that Poole, called the “go-to guy in the governor’s office,” helped Easley donors expedite environmental permits for coastal developments. In return, the indictment says Poole received free flights, gifts, and opportunities to invest in those developments — none of which he reported on ethics disclosures.

Easley has yet to be charged, but an indictment could come as early as this spring. Former federal prosecutor Kieran Shanahan told reporters in late January that Poole’s indictment “reeks of conspiracy,” and that more is to come.

“Clearly, the No. 1 target of this is the former governor,” he said.

David N. Bass is an associate editor of Carolina Journal. Executive Editor Don Carrington assisted in reporting this story.