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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All 19 defendants have surrendered
Chicago pastor Stephen Lee has turned himself in to authorities at the Fulton County Jail in the DA's sweeping racketeering case.
With Lee's surrender, all 19 defendants in the case have turned themselves in for processing before the noon deadline that had been set by the DA.
Lee is accused in the DA's indictment of trying to strong-arm election worker Ruby Freeman, who was falsely accused of stealing ballots.
All but 1 defendant have surrendered to authorities
Publicist Trevian Kutti has surrendered to authorities at the Fulton County Jail, leaving only one defendant remaining to turn themselves in before the DA's noon deadline, according to the Fulton County Sheriff's Office.
Former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, Georgia state Sen. Shawn Still, former Coffee County elections director Misty Hampton, Georgia lawyer Robert Cheeley and Trump staffer Michael Roman all surrendered for processing since last night, the sheriff's office said.
The last remaining defendant is Chicago pastor Stephen Lee, who officials said is expected to surrender today.
Eastman calls Trump's surrender 'crossing of the Rubicon'
Defendant John Eastman, who faces nine counts in the DA's indictment, said Trump's surrender to authorities Thursday was "a crossing of the Rubicon in our system of justice."
Speaking last night outside the California Bar Court where he is fighting disbarment, the former Trump attorney said he will mount a strong defense to the DA's case.
"We have very viable legal defenses and constitutional defenses," said Eastman, who was processed and released from Fulton County Jail Wednesday.
Eastman, who is accused of drafting a plan for Trump to cling to power by falsely claiming then-Vice President Mike Pence could reject legitimate electors during the Jan. 6 certification of the vote, has indicated that he will seek to sever his case from the other defendants.
"It's because we'd like to get out of it sooner," he told ABC News. "Because we did nothing wrong."
5 more defendants surrender to authorities
Following Donald Trump's surrender for processing on Thursday night, five more defendants in the case surrendered overnight at the Fulton County Jail.
Out of the 19 total defendants, only Trevian Kutti and Stephen Lee have yet to turn themselves in as today's noon deadline approaches.
Both Kutti, a publicist who once repped Ye and R. Kelly, and Lee, an Illinois pastor, are accused of trying to strong-arm election worker Ruby Freeman, who was falsely accused of stealing ballots.
-Aaron Katersky
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.