By Katelynn Richardson
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis requested an Oct. 23 start date for a trial in the case against former President Donald Trump and his 18 co-defendants.
Willis filed a motion Thursday in response to co-defendant Kenneth Chesebro’s Wednesday request for a speedy trial. She had initially requested to set the trial for March 4, 2024, just one day before Super Tuesday.
The new date falls outside of the July-August 2023 term and would be part of the “next succeeding regular court term,” Willis notes in the motion.
A grand jury indicted Trump Aug. 14 on 13 charges, including violating Georgia’s “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations” (RICO) Act, for alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. His co-defendants include Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman and Mark Meadows, among others.
Trump’s lawyer filed a response opposing an October trial date and said he will soon file a motion to sever his case from Chesebro and any co-defendent who files a motion for a speedy trial.
“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.
The former president is set to turn himself in to Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday. On Monday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee revealed Trump’s bond would be set at $200,000.
Trump changed his lead attorney from Drew Findling to Steve Sadow, an Atlanta defense attorney who previously represented Usher and Rick Ross, ahead of his surrender Thursday.
