Trump co-defendant takes plea deal, agrees to testify in Georgia election case
The plea deal, by defendant Scott Hall, is the first in the case.
One of former President Donald Trump's co-defendants charged in the Georgia election interference case is taking a plea deal in which he will agree to testify against others in the case.
Scott Hall appeared Friday in court for what Judge Scott McAfee said was a "negotiated resolution."
The arrangement marks the first plea deal in the case.
As part of the deal, Hall pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties.
He will get probation and has agreed to testify moving forward, including at the trial of other co-defendants.
Asked if he understands this is a "negotiated plea," Hall said, "I do."
Hall, a Georgia bail bondsman, was charged in relation to the alleged breach of voting machine equipment in the wake of the 2020 election in Coffee County, Georgia.
During the hearing, the allegations surrounding the voting breach were laid out. It was said that Hall and several of his co-defendants "entered into a conspiracy to intentionally interfere" with the 2020 election results and that their goal was to "unlawfully" access voting machines in Coffee County in order to obtain data.
"The conspiracy also included obtaining images of ballots," they said in court.
At the top of the hearing, Judge McAfee said this "was not a matter that had been scheduled today," but that he was "informed by both parties that they would like to have an impromptu court hearing."
Trump and 18 others pleaded not guilty to all charges in a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia.
The former president says his actions were not illegal and that the investigation is politically motivated.
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