Judge to try former US President Donald Trump and 18 others accused of meddling in the election in Georgia This Wednesday, a proposal that two of these defendants would not be tried together by the end of October was rejected.but at the time he was “skeptical” that anyone could be judged.
In the first televised hearing in this case, Scott McAfee said:or see why lawyers Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney PowellTrump was a campaign lawyerDo not go to trial together on October 23.
“I do not believe separation is necessary for a fair determination of the guilt or innocence of each defendant,” he said.
Chesebro’s lawyers had requested a speedy hearing for October 23, a date the judge had already agreed to, and McAfee said Wednesday it would issue a similar ruling for Powell.
According to him, the separation of the two cases would clog the court’s calendar.
19 people accused of attempting Reversing the results of the 2020 elections in GeorgiaDemocrat Joe Biden narrowly beat Trump (2017-2021) by two-tenths (49.5%); this was the tightest gap in the entire country.
The prosecution had requested that they all be tried in October, but the judge kept that date for Chesebro and Powell only, and has yet to rule on the rest.
“It seems unrealistic to manage all 19 people in forty-odd days” Referring to the time remaining until the previously agreed October date, McAfee said: He is expected to make a decision on the matter at a new hearing next week.
The judge calculated this Wednesday that the trial could take up to eight months; which is double what was estimated by the Prosecutor’s Office.
Powell’s defense argued that: It didn’t make sense for your client to listen to statements of “for days or weeks” of accusations that had nothing to do with the case. with him. Both he and Chesebro received seven charges against them.
Both cases involve violations of RICO law, which is known to be used against members of the mafia to ensure that not only their subordinates but also the leaders of the criminal organization are held accountable.
19 defendants They were summoned to Georgia this Wednesday for the charges to be formally read and whether they pleaded guilty.but they were all ahead of that date.plead not guilty in writingand voluntarily resigned to be present today.