Fulton DA wants trial against Trump, others in election interference case to start in August

ATLANTA — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has filed a motion saying she wants to start the trial against former President Donald Trump and others accused of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election to start Aug. 5.

“This proposed trial date balances potential delays from Defendant Trump’s other criminal trials in sister sovereigns and the other Defendants’ constitutional speedy trial rights,” Willis said in her motion.

The document also set a final date to entertain any plea deals as June 21.

So far, a total of four defendants have taken plea deals in the case. Earlier this week, Willis spoke at an event sponsored by the Washington Post where she said she expected the trial to last well past Election Day.

“I believe in that case there will be a trial. I believe the trial will take many months. And I don’t expect that we will conclude until the winter or the very early part of 2025,” Willis said.

On Friday afternoon, the former president’s attorney Steve Sadow filed a motion to say Trump opposes the August start date. He is also requesting the judge a hold hearing before making a decision.

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Trump was indicted along with 18 others in Fulton County in August on charges they participated in a wide-ranging conspiracy to keep the Republican incumbent in power after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump and the remaining defendants — including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows — have all pleaded not guilty.

Trump is the early front-runner for the 2024 Republican nominee for president. The timing suggested by Willis would make the Georgia prosecution the last of his four criminal cases to go to trial. Ultimately, it will be up to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to set the trial date.

“I don’t, when making decisions about cases to bring, consider any election cycle or an election season. That does not go into the calculus. What goes into the calculus is: This is the law. These are the facts. And the facts show you violated the law. Then charges are brought,” Willis said.

Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee will still have to rule on this motion for that date to become firm.

RELATED NEWS:

Fulton DA asks judge to revoke election interference defendant’s bond over social media posts In a court filing Wednesday, Fulton DA Fani Willis made the request to put Harrison Floyd in jail.

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