Judge delays trial in complex corn seed theft case, setting new date for February 2016
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A judge has delayed the trial of a Chinese man accused of conspiring to steal trade secrets from U.S. seed companies.
The attorney for Mo Hailong and the lead federal prosecutor in the case jointly asked for a delay.
Mo is one of five workers for Beijing-based DBN Group accused of stealing corn seed to reproduce its genetic traits. The others are believed to be in China.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Judge Stephanie Rose entered an order Tuesday setting the trial for Feb. 8 in Des Moines, saying the case is so unusual and complex that it is unreasonable to expect adequate preparation in just a few weeks.
Mo, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was arrested in Florida in December 2013. He had been scheduled to go on trial next month.