Photo caption by Alberto Meier/CNN
CNN
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Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis has asked a judge to set a trial date for former President Donald Trump and his 18 co-defendants on March 4, 2024 — a plan that would put the Republican presidential nominee on trial a day before he runs. Super Tuesday primary matches.
Willis asked to schedule hearings for the defendants during the week of September 5. According to court filingsAnd it says the proposed dates “do not conflict” with Trump’s other criminal cases.
If the proposed trial date is accepted, Trump would begin his trial in the Georgia case while the Republican presidential nomination process is well underway. Many states will have already held their nominating contests, including the traditional early states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. Super Tuesday will take place on March 5, 2024, when voters go to the polls in more than a dozen states, including California and Texas.
The filing indicates that Willis is seeking to quickly begin the process of sharing discovery with all 19 defendants and wants to keep his word to conduct a trial within six months.
Willis asked the judge to give the defendants up to 10 days after the trial to opt for “mutual discovery.” If they choose, all parties will “make discovery materials at its disposal” to opposing counsel no later than September 29.
The proposed schedule could be difficult, said former U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia Michael J. Moore said.
“It’s a fairy tale to think this could happen,” Moore told CNN. “I think it’s a PR move and she has no real hope that the case will be ready in March.”
“There’s no way they’re going through the motions and delivering this discovery,” Moore added.
A 41-count charge In an unsealed filing Monday, Willis, a Democrat, accused the 19 defendants of being part of a broader criminal conspiracy to alter the outcome of the 2020 election in Georgia. At the heart of the case is Georgia’s RICO Willis brought a lawsuit against all the defendants, alleging that they violated that state law and others when they tried to overturn the election results.
Prosecutors say the crimes built around the RICO charge include: making false statements, filing false and forged documents, impersonating officials, computer breaches and attempts to influence witnesses.
Willis has given the accused till August 25 afternoon to surrender voluntarily.
This story has been updated with additional details.
