Five former and current Navajo Nation lawmakers accused of misusing tribal funds are set to go on trial next month.
Window Rock District Judge Carol Perry has set aside more than two months for the trial, starting with jury selection on Oct. 14.
Perry says consolidating the trials of Navajo Nation Council Speaker Johnny Naize, Delegate David Tom, and former delegates George Arthur, Leonard Teller and Ernest Yazzie Jr., will save money.
Prosecutors say the defendants schemed to funnel money to each other's families from the council's discretionary fund. The fund was intended for delegates to help tribal members facing emergencies or financial hardship.
Naize's predecessor, Lawrence Morgan, is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday for a plea hearing. His attorney declined comment Tuesday.
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