Much as we should have expected, former president Donald Trump has entered a not guilty plea to the charges against him in Fulton County, Ga. District Attorney Fani Willis has charged Trump and 18 others with a litany of offenses under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, alleging that the defendants attempted to overturn the 2020 election.
However, Trump did not appear in court in Atlanta to make his plea.
“Trump had been scheduled to appear in court for his arraignment on the charges on Sept. 6,” reports WSB Radio. “He was supposed to be the first of more than a dozen co-defendants to appear, starting at 9:30 a.m., but despite the scheduling, it was expected that he would waive his right to appear when the schedule was announced earlier this week.”
Trump instead filed his plea via a waiver of arraignment through attorney Steven Sadow. CNN reports that other defendants, including Sidney Powell, Trevian Kutti, and Ray Smith, have filed their pleas with similar waivers. Those who didn’t file ahead of time will have to appear in court in Fulton County next week. According to CNBC, the rest of the arraignments will begin on Sept. 6 with Rudy Giuliani at 9:45 a.m. and the rest of the defendants following shortly thereafter.
“I have discussed the charges in the Indictment and this Waiver of Appearance at Arraignment with my attorney Steven H. Sadow, and I fully understand the nature of the offenses charged and my right to appear at arraignment,” Trump wrote in the waiver. “Understanding my rights, I do hereby freely and voluntarily waive my right to be present at my arraignment on the Indictment and my right to have it read to me in open court.”
“As evidenced by my signature below, I do hereby waive formal arraignment and enter my plea of NOT GUILTY to the Indictment in this case,” the waiver concludes.
Related: Fulton County DA Fani Willis Speaks to Reporters About Trump Indictment: ‘The Law Is Non-Partisan!’
Willis attempted to plan a trial date of March 4, 2024, for all the defendants, but two of Trump’s co-defendants, Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, have requested speedy trials, citing their 6th Amendment rights. Under Georgia law, these trials must start by the first week in November. It’s doubtful that the judge will order a speedy trial for all of the defendants because of the sheer amount of evidence in the case.
Read the waiver of arraignment here:
Trump Fulton County Arraignment Waiver by PJ Media on Scribd
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