It’s confirmed. Donald Trump’s upcoming criminal trial will be televised and livestreamed.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee announced the decision on Thursday, just one week after the former president was taken into custody and booked into Fulton County Jail. The arrest stemmed from Trump’s alleged “fake electors” scheme, which aimed to change Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results in his favor. He and his 18 co-defendants—including Rudy Guiliani, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and attorney Sidney Powell—are facing a wide range of criminal counts, including racketeering and conspiracy charges.
McAfee ruled that Trump’s Georgia trial will be streamed on the Fulton County Court’s YouTube channel, following the precedent set by Fulton County Judge Robert McBurney. The AJC reports that cameras will be permitted inside the courtroom for TV coverage and still photography. Journalists will also be allowed to use computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices for non-recording purposes.
“In line with the spirit of transparency here,” McAfee said Thursday, “we have followed Judge McBurney’s model, and we have been livestreaming all of our major proceedings on a Fulton County-provided YouTube channel. And our plan was to do that with this case as well. So there’s going to be a YouTube feed the entire time.”
Trump’s Fulton County trial date has yet to be set. His co-defendant Kenneth Chesebro is scheduled to begin his trial on Oct. 23. Per the AJC, Trump pleaded not guilty last Thursday to the 13 Georgia felony counts. His attorney also filed a waiver of arraignment and asked the court to sever Trump’s trial from his co-defendants, as he needed enough time to prepare his defense.
“Respectfully, requiring less than two months preparation time to defend a 98-page indictment, charging 19 defendants, with 41 various charges including a RICO conspiracy charge with 161 Overt Acts, Solicitation of Violation of Oath by Public Officer, False Statements and Writings, Forgery, Influencing Witnesses, Computer Crimes, Conspiracy to Defraud the State, and other offenses would violate President Trump’s federal and state constitutional rights to a fair trial and due process of law,” the filing read. "... President Trump respectfully requests that the Court grant the requested severance."
