In a move that was widely expected but will still face intense scrutiny and criticism, embattled New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft submitted a plea of “not guilty” to solicitation charges on Thursday.
According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, Kraft’s attorneys requested a non-jury trial in their official court filing. The court date was also moved up from its original time of 8:30 am EST on April 24 to the new time of 8:30 am EST on March 27. This change should theoretically benefit the Patriots, as it will allow Kraft’s trial to occur well before the 2019 NFL draft – which begins on April 25, the day after his originally-scheduled court date.