BREAKING: Trump’s Georgia Trial To Be Televised
In a decision that is sure to capture the nation’s attention, Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee announced that former President Donald Trump’s election interference trial in Fulton County, Georgia, will be livestreamed on YouTube according to Forbes.
This marks a significant departure from Trump’s other criminal cases, which have not allowed cameras in the courtroom.
The choice to livestream the trial on YouTube intensifies the public focus on a case that has already attracted considerable media coverage. This is poised to turn the Georgia trial into an unparalleled public event, setting it apart from Trump’s other three criminal proceedings.
Trump has already had his inaugural mug shot taken last week upon surrendering to Georgia authorities. Moreover, television cameras were on hand to film the court clerk and judge as they physically carried the indictments, just moments after a Fulton County grand jury charged Trump and his 18 co-defendants with a total of 41 counts for attempting to reverse the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.
Earlier today, Trump entered a “Not Guilty” plea in Fulton County, Georgia. According to court documents, President Trump waived his right to appear at the arraignment. Trump wrote in the document, “I, President Donald Trump, hereby acknowledge that I am the defendant named above and I have received a copy of the Indictment in this case.”
The former President also further acknowledged that he understands his right to appear personally at his arraignment and to have the indictment read to him in open court. After discussing the charges and the waiver with his attorney, Steven H. Sadow, Trump has decided to voluntarily waive these rights.
“As evidenced by my signature below, I do hereby waive formal arraignment and enter my plea of NOT GUILTY to the Indictment in this case,” Trump wrote.
Judge Scott McAfee has been assigned to oversee the case against former President Trump and his co-defendants in Georgia. The case accuses them of engaging in a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state.
Steven H. Sadow is the lead counsel for the defendant, Donald Trump. Sadow has a long history of high-profile cases and is expected to mount a vigorous defense for his client.
The “Not Guilty” plea sets the stage for what promises to be a closely-watched legal battle. Many anticipate a series of pre-trial motions to follow, as both sides prepare their strategies for the upcoming court proceedings.
The indictment against Trump includes 13 counts, with a racketeering charge being the most notable. The charge alleges that Trump attempted to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in Georgia in 2020. Trump, along with 18 other individuals charged in the case, has denied any wrongdoing.
District Attorney Fani Willis of Fulton County has asked for a uniform trial date for all accused parties, while a judge has scheduled the trial of Kenneth Chesebro, a former attorney for Trump, to begin on October 23. The arraignment hearings for the defendants are slated for September 6. Additionally, Sidney Powell, another former lawyer for Trump, along with Georgia attorney Ray Smith, have both forgone their rights to make amendments and entered not guilty pleas.
As the nation watches, the stakes are high not just for Trump and his co-defendants, but for the American justice system itself.
