FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — One of former President Donald Trump’s co-defendants in a Georgia election interference case has rejected a plea deal, sources tell ABC News.
Attorney Kenneth Chesebro, one of the 18 people charged alongside the former president, rejected an offer from prosecutors that would have allowed him to avoid prison time by pleading guilty to one count of racketeering, the sources said.
The deal would have forced him to testify against his co-defendants, including former Pres. Trump, in exchange for three years probation and a $10,000 fine.
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The terms of the deal also included a written letter of apology, sources told ABC.
Under Georgia’s first-offender act, the conviction would have been wiped from his record after completing probation.
Chesebro rejected the deal in late September, the sources said.
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The attorney is accused of racketeering and being involved in the attempt to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election. The January 6 Commission called Chesebro one of the architects of the false electors scheme.
Attorneys for Chesebro say he can’t be tried for giving the former president legal advice, even if it turned out to be wrong.
Jury selection for Chesebro’s trial alongside co-defendant Sidney Powell is expected to begin on Friday. Both defendants filed motions requesting a speedy trial.
A trial date has not yet been set for the remaining 17 defendants.
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