Explainer-The next steps in Trump’s criminal case in Georgia
2023.08.15 01:30
© Reuters. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis arrives at a press conference after a Grand Jury brought back indictments against former president Donald Trump and his allies in their attempt to illegally overturn the state’s 2020 election results, in Atlanta
By Tom Hals
(Reuters) – Former U.S. President Donald Trump was indicted on Monday for his alleged efforts to illegally overturn the Georgia vote in the 2020 presidential election which put Joe Biden in the White House.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
After defendants in Georgia are indicted by a grand jury, they are arraigned, which is the formal reading in court of the charges. Defendants are also asked to enter a plea. Trump’s attorney could ask the court to waive the arraignment, and he could enter a plea of not guilty without appearing in court.
Bail also will be determined. He likely will be released, probably in exchange for a promise to return to face the charges at trial.
Trump will have his mugshot taken upon being taken into custody, Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat told local media this month.
HOW FAR OFF IS A TRIAL?
Trump is known for using the courts to draw out cases, and the prosecution could be further slowed by novel legal questions stemming from the unprecedented nature of the case.
Legal experts said a delay could benefit the former president, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the Nov. 5, 2024, presidential election.
Trump is likely to challenge the prosecution, claiming it was motivated by political bias.
Trump may try to move it to another part of the state, arguing the jury pool in Fulton County, which Biden won with about 73% of the vote, would be biased against him.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE CASE GOES TO TRIAL?
The process of selecting a jury could be lengthy, given the passionate views many people have of the former president and the amount of time jurors would have to dedicate to the trial. In the ongoing trial in Atlanta of rapper Young Thug, or Jeffery Lamar Williams, jury selection ran for months.
A jury of 12 people from Fulton County must all agree beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump is guilty for a conviction on any count. If the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, the judge can declare a mistrial.
If Trump is convicted, he would likely seek a new trial by asserting the outcome was inconsistent with evidence or contrary to the law.
(This story has been refiled with a corrected picture caption)
