All 19 defendants, including former President Donald Trump, involved in an election-fraud case in the Southeastern U.S. state of Georgia, reported to an Atlanta jail to be booked by police before a noon deadline on Friday.
Former President Trump’s appearance at the Fulton County Jail on Thursday evening marked a historic moment, as he became the first former president to pose for a mug shot. Following his appearance, seven additional defendants turned themselves in to the police on Friday. Trump’s remaining co-defendants had already reported to the jail earlier in the week.
Court records indicate that all of the defendants, except for one, posted bond and agreed to the bail conditions set by court officials. These individuals were permitted to leave the jail after the booking process. However, Harrison William Prescott Floyd, accused of harassing a Fulton County election worker, remained in jail after surrendering on Thursday.
The situation surrounding Floyd’s bail remains uncertain. It’s unclear whether he was denied bail or faced challenges in meeting the financial requirements for his release. Floyd, who is affiliated with the group Black Voices for Trump, had previously been arrested three months ago for confronting FBI agents who had served him with a grand jury subpoena.
Former President Trump’s legal team negotiated a $200,000 bond with Fulton County prosecutor Fani Willis earlier in the week. The bond was paid in relation to the felony charges of racketeering and conspiracy linked to Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn his 2020 reelection loss in Georgia.
Notably, this marks the fourth time in the past five months that Trump has been arrested and booked. Addressing reporters before boarding a plane at Atlanta’s airport, Trump denounced the situation as a “travesty of justice” and maintained his innocence.
Trump is facing a total of 91 charges across four indictments, encompassing actions before, during, and after his single-term presidency. The 13 charges specific to Georgia will be addressed in Fulton County Superior Court, where Judge Scott McAfee is expected to arrange the upcoming arraignments.
At least five of Trump’s co-defendants are seeking to move their cases to federal court rather than being tried in Georgia. Among those opting to remain in Georgia, two defendants are requesting speedy trials.
In response, Trump’s legal team has requested that his case be separated from any co-defendant pursuing a speedy trial. However, a trial date for Trump has not yet been proposed by his lawyers.
Despite the multiple charges he faces, Trump is a prominent candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election. He has vehemently denied all allegations, labeling them as a politically motivated witch hunt aimed at disrupting his 2024 campaign to regain the presidency.
(With inputs from The Associated Press, Voice of America, and Reuters)
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
