Judge: No mistrial for widow of Pulse shooter

ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - A federal judge in Florida has rejected a defense argument for a mistrial for the widow of the Pulse nightclub shooter.  

Lawyers for Noor Salman said prosecutors didn't disclose key evidence, including that Omar Mateen's father was a confidential FBI informant. 
 
The judge announced his decision Monday, saying Salman's case wasn't harmed because the government never called Mateen's father as a witness. 
 
Over the weekend, prosecutors revealed to the defense that Mateen's father had been an FBI informant for 11 years before the attack.

Salman is accused of helping Mateen plan the June 2016 attack at the gay nightclub in Orlando, where he killed 49 people.  Salman is on trial, charged with providing material support to a foreign terror organization, the Islamic State group, and with obstructing justice.

A previous motion for acquitteal was denied on Friday. 

Mateen’s father was also investigated after agents assigned to the shooting investigation found receipts for money transfers to Turkey and Afghanistan, according to a motion filed Sunday by Salman’s defense.

Her attorneys began presenting their case on Monday. The defense contends she had nothing to do with the case. They are expected to call on 13 witnesses. 

The judge started the day off by addressing that he was not going to talk about the defense's motion for mistrial. It will be taken up this afternoon because it would take too long to address this morning.

The defense called six witnesses.  Nemo, a friend of Omar Mateen, was called upon. He said he knew Mateen often used him as a cover story when having affairs.  The defense also called two women Mateen allegedly had brief affairs with. 

They also called a Port St. Lucie police officer who was friends with Mateen between 2005 and 2009.

And finally, two of Salman's family friends were on the stand. One of them was in tears upon taking the stand. 

Federal prosecutors rested their case Thursday. Details about what the couple did and where they were in the days prior to the shooting was presented last week in court.

Closing arguments could come as soon as Wednesday, so a verdict could come by the end of the week.   If convicted, Salman faces life in prison.