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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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.
Trump motorcade pulls into Newark Airport
The motorcade carrying Trump has arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport, where the former president is expected to board a flight to Atlanta for his anticipated booking at the Fulton County Jail this evening.
Trump opposes DA's motion for October trial date
In Trump's first filing in the case, his attorney is now pushing back on the DA's motion -- which requested an Oct. 23 trial start date for all 19 defendants -- saying they oppose it.
"President Trump respectfully puts the Court on notice that he opposes the State's 'motion for entry of pretrial scheduling order' and 'motion to specially set trial,'" the filing states.
Trump attorney Steven Sadow also notified the court that they would be filing "a timely motion" to sever the case from Cheseboro -- who requested the speedy trial-- as well as any other defendant who "files such a demand."
"President Trump further respectfully puts the Court on notice that he requests the Court set a scheduling conference at its earliest convenience so he can be heard on the State's motions for entry of pretrial scheduling order and to specially set trial," the filing states.