Judge denies Fani Willis’ request to try all RICO defendants jointly in Donald Trump indictment.
The Fulton County Judge Rejects Prosecutors’ Bid for Joint Trial in Trump Election Subversion Case
The Fulton County, Georgia judge presiding over former President Donald Trump’s 2020 election subversion case has made a significant decision. In an order issued on Thursday, Judge Scott McAfee rebuffed prosecutors’ request to try all 19 defendants together.
“The Court joins the skepticism expressed by several federal courts that denying severance always ensures efficiency, especially in ‘mega trials’ such as this,”
This ruling has important implications, as it means that Trump will not be tried alongside at least two of his co-defendants on October 23, as they had requested a speedy trial.
However, McAfee has promised to have weekly check-ins with the defendants who have requested a speedy trial. During the livestreamed hearing on Thursday, he is expected to rule on three motions from Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell. Last week, McAfee had already decided that Chesebro and Powell would be tried together on October 23, rejecting attempts to separate their cases.
The defendants have filed several motions seeking answers. These include a request to speak with the grand jurors who handed up the indictment, unsealing transcripts from witnesses who testified before the special grand jury, and disclosing the names of the un-indicted co-conspirators described by prosecutors in the racketeering case brought by Fani Willis.
Prosecutors argued in a filing on Wednesday that holding multiple lengthy trials would strain the judicial resources of the Fulton County Superior Court.
However, McAfee expressed skepticism last week, stating that it ”seems a bit unrealistic” to hold a trial for all 19 defendants in October. This suggests that he is inclined to deny Willis’s request.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and will be streamed on McAfee’s YouTube channel.
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