Federal Judge Cancels Upcoming Extortion Trial For Mayor Walsh's Aides

A federal judge has canceled the upcoming trial date for two Boston mayor aides charged with extortion as he weighs a bid to dismiss the case.

Kenneth Brissette and Timothy Sullivan were supposed to go on trial Monday on charges that they pressured music festival organizers into hiring union workers.

But Judge Leo Sorokin said Wednesday that he's canceling a future hearing and the trial date. The judge said he'll rule on the defense's motion to dismiss the case "promptly."

Attorneys for Brissette and Sullivan have argued the men didn't do anything wrong and that prosecutors overreached.

Prosecutors say the judge's proposed jury's instructions are too restrictive and would prevent them from putting on their case.

The judge this week denied prosecutors' request to change how he plans to instruct the jury.