Georgia election case: Trump, other 18 defendants surrender to authorities

Former President Trump was processed and released on bail.

Former President Donald Trump and the 18 other defendants charged by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for their alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia all surrendered to authorities at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.

Trump and 17 other defendants were processed and released on bail, with one defendant held without bond. Several defendants also mounted legal challenges to the DA's case.


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Trump lands in Atlanta

Trump's plane has landed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. He is expected to be booked then released at the Fulton County Jail this evening.


John Eastman will seek speedy trial separate from others, lawyer says

Appearing on CNN, John Eastman's attorney Harvey Silverglate said his client intends to sever his case from his co-defendants and pursue a speedy trial.

"We are going to move to sever his case from the others and move for a severed trial which means we want to be tried alone," Silverglate said. "We'd like to have a speedy trial -- that is, we would like to be tried right away. It'll take three weeks and the whole nightmare will be over for him."

As of Thursday evening, Eastman has not filed a speedy trial motion or a motion to sever his case, according to his docket.

Eastman is charged with nine counts, including solicitation as well as conspiracies to commit forgery, make false statements and impersonate a public officer. The former Trump lawyer is alleged to have been involved in a scheme to solicit public officers to unlawfully appoint Georgia presidential electors.

Defendant Kenneth Chesebro has also filed for a speedy trial, while Mark Meadows, Kenneth Clark and David Shafer have separately filed to have their cases moved into federal court.


Trump plane takes off for Atlanta

Trump's plane has taken off from New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport en route to Atlanta for his anticipated booking at the Fulton County Jail this evening.


Hearing scheduled on Jeffrey Clark's bid to move case to federal court

Judge Steve Jones has set a hearing date of Sept. 18 for former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark's bid to move his Fulton County criminal charges to federal court.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis may submit a written response to Clark's notice of removal no later than Sept. 5, according to Jones' order.

Co-defendants Mark Meadows and David Shafer are also seeking to move their cases into federal court.


Judge sets bond for Giuliani at $150,000

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee has set bond for former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani at $150,000.

As with all defendants in the case, Giuliani's bail conditions include not communicating with witnesses and co-defendants, reporting to pre-trial services by phone every month, and not obstructing justice by intimidating witnesses.

Giuliani's bond agreement also includes a line to ensure he surrenders at Fulton County Jail by the Friday deadline DA Fani Willis set for all 19 defendants.

"The Defendant shall turn himself into the Fulton County Jail by 12:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, August 25, 2023. If the Defendant does not turn himself into the Fulton County Jail by this date and time, this consent bond order shall be null and void," the consent order said.

Giuliani is expected to surrender at the jail later today, sources have told ABC News.

According to prosecutors, Giuliani aided Trump in perpetrating a sweeping effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, including by making false statements to state election officials.