The streets around the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, where Donald Trump could soon face his fourth criminal indictment, They were quiet this week as orange barricades and law enforcement created a sense of anticipation.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has been investigating the former US president’s effort to overturn the 2020 Georgia election result for two and a half years, is expected to bring the case before a grand jury as soon as next week.
In preparation, The street in front of the courthouse was closed off with armed sheriff’s deputies patrolling the area 24/7. Vehicles from various law enforcement agencies lined the side streets, while media vans sat idling alongside piles of bike racks used for crowd control.
A criminal case against Trump in Atlanta would be a twist because he doesn’t have an obvious connection to the area like he does in the other places where he’s been charged. Trump has lived and worked in New York, Washington and Florida, where he is charged with falsifying business records, conspiring to overturn the 2020 election, and absconding with classified documents, respectively.
Now he faces the potential for a protracted legal battle in a state that has taken a hardline approach in investigating alleged 2020 voter fraud. Trump’s actions in Georgia were also highlighted due to an infamous phone call in which he and his aides tried to pressure Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, to reverse the electoral defeat.
Trump has denied wrongdoing in Georgia and has pleaded not guilty in other cases. He claims all the investigations are part of a political “witch hunt” to prevent him from winning the White House again.
Security measures were extended to several blocks of the Georgia State Capitol, where the street closest to the entrance was closed. The gold-domed building was devoid of tourists and many employees were working from home amid renovations. At nearby City Hall, no one was seen entering or leaving the building in the middle of a weekday, though Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ office said the city headquarters is “open for business.”
A deputy sheriff on duty said he had never seen such an extensive security operation in 30 years on the job. ANDThe official said a priority will be protecting protesters who may turn on each other if Trump appears in court.
no special treatment
Willis previously said that he intends to announce any positions in August and that much of his staff will be working remotely for the first three weeks of the month. He also asked that judges not schedule in-person trials and hearings during part of that time.
An indictment from Fulton County would also be the latest evidence of how law enforcement treats the former president when he comes forward as a criminal defendant. Sheriff Patrick “Pat” Labat said at a press conference on August 1 that he is not willing to give Trump special treatment.
“Unless someone tells me otherwise, we are following our normal practices,” he said. “It doesn’t matter your status. We have mug shots ready for you.”
His office declined to provide further details.
“We don’t want to get ahead of the process,” spokeswoman Natalie Ammons said this week. The sheriff’s office “has considered all possibilities and has planned what may be required of our agency in the event of a potential prosecution.”
It would be remarkable if Trump was handcuffed or had a mugshot taken because such measures were omitted in the other cases, although he was fingerprinted. The Marshals Service in Washington and Florida have not required a mugshot because Trump is a recognizable person and many photos already exist.
Fulton County case
A Fulton County case is likely to echo the allegations in Trump’s Washington indictment, brought by special counsel Jack Smith. Trump is accused in that case of trying to overturn the 2020 election nationwide, and his actions in Georgia figure prominently in the alleged conspiracy.
Willis, a Democrat who took office days before the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, had plenty of details about Trump’s actions in Georgia when he opened his investigation in February 2021. Those details included Trump’s effort to pressure Raffensperger, asking him and others to “find” enough votes to overcome his loss, despite the fact that a recount had already been done.
Willis has a history of prosecuting cases, from teachers to rap music stars, under Georgia’s version of the federal Mafioso Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or Rico, law, a statute often associated with organized crime. He can also use the law against Trump and his allies.
Trump has been fighting back by attacking Willis, hurling a barrage of personal insults at him. He has repeatedly said that Willis, who is black, is a racist. And in recent days, his presidential campaign has been running an ad in the Atlanta market accusing Willis of having an affair with a gang member his office was investigating. On Aug. 9, Willis issued a memo in which he told his employees not to respond to such “derogatory and false information” in any way, according to local news reports.
Neither Trump’s attorney nor Willis’s office responded to requests for comment.
2023-08-13 13:52:47
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