Trump Booked, Mugshot Released

 

GEORGIA - Donald Trump presented himself at Fulton County jail on Thursday due to multiple charges related to his attempts to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results. This marks the fourth occasion this year that the ex-president has encountered criminal charges.

After about 20 minutes at the Fulton County jail, Trump was processed and subsequently released on bond. The jail records documented him as being 6 feet 3 inches tall, weighing 215 pounds, and having blue eyes with either blond or strawberry-colored hair. His booking identification was P01135809.

A photographic record of Trump, commonly referred to as a mug shot, was made public shortly after his departure from the facility.

This occurrence in Georgia is the fourth instance this year that Trump has voluntarily presented himself to either local or federal authorities following the levying of criminal charges against him – incidents that the US had not witnessed before 2023.

The spectacle of Trump proceeding to face arrest, all while dismissing the accusations as being fueled by political agendas, was reminiscent of prior instances. Yet, the extraordinary sight of a past president – and a top GOP contender for the presidency in 2024 – being indicted remains unparalleled in its significance.

In a subsequent interview with Newsmax on Thursday, Trump described his time at the jail as a "terrible" and "very sad" ordeal, saying, "In my whole life I didn't know anything about indictments and now I've been indicted like four times."

Previously in April, Trump faced legal consequences in New York regarding allegations tied to a discreet payment arrangement. Then in June, he appeared at a federal courthouse in Miami to address charges stemming from special counsel Jack Smith's examination into the inappropriate handling of confidential materials. Just earlier this month, he was apprehended in Washington, DC, and brought before the court on charges originating from Smith's inquiry into endeavors to nullify the 2020 election results.

These legal matters are set to climax next year, concurrently with Trump's presidential campaign.

Like the majority of his 18 co-defendants involved in the extensive racketeering case who have presented themselves at the jail, Trump experienced a swift processing. This efficiency was due to the fact that the former president and his legal representatives had previously settled on his consent bond agreement. Trump accepted a bond amount of $200,000 along with other stipulated conditions for his release, which included refraining from using social media to single out the co-defendants and witnesses associated with the case.

To cover the bond amount, Trump paid 10% and collaborated with an Atlanta-based bonding firm named Foster Bail Bonds LLC, as informed to CNN by sources.

On Thursday afternoon, Trump left his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, heading to Georgia. He arrived in Atlanta on his private aircraft shortly after 7 p.m.

Trump was taken in handcuffs by motorcade to the Fulton County jail. Trump spent around 20 minutes in the jail before leaving. When he got back to the airport, he chatted with media for a short time before boarding his plane without taking any questions.

"What has taken place here is a travesty of justice. We did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong and everybody knows it," Trump said. "I've never had such support and that goes with the other ones too. What they're doing is election interference."

Before turning himself in, Trump made a change to his legal team in Georgia, substituting his lead attorney, Drew Findling, with Steven Sadow. Sadow, an attorney based in Atlanta, is characterized on his website as a "special counsel for white collar and high-profile defense."

While one insider from Trump's camp mentioned that the shift wasn't a reflection on Findling's competence, another individual who is acquainted with Sadow labeled him as the "best criminal defense attorney in Georgia."

Upon Trump's arrival in Atlanta, Sadow greeted him at the airport and joined him on his visit to the Fulton County jail.

Earlier on Thursday, Fani Willis, the District Attorney for Fulton County, put forward an October 23 trial date for the election interference case she has initiated against Trump and 18 of his associates.

While it remains uncertain whether this suggested date is achievable – or even probable – should it go through, it would mark the commencement of Trump's first out of the four criminal trials.

On that same day, Trump's legal team communicated to the Georgia judge their objection to Willis' suggested trial commencement date. They are also planning to distinguish Trump's case in Georgia from that of co-defendant Ken Chesebro, who is eager to expedite the trial. It was Chesebro's request that triggered Willis to propose the particular trial date.

The timeline Willis is advocating for is notably aggressive. In a conversation with journalists the previous week, post the return of the indictment, she expressed her aim to start the trial within a half-year span. Legal pundits back then opined that such a timeframe was improbable, more so as Willis has also shown interest in trying all 19 accused simultaneously. The legal representatives for Trump and his co-defendants have hinted at upcoming pre-trial disagreements likely to extend the trial process. As of now, three accused are making efforts to transition the case to a federal jurisdiction, with Trump anticipated to make a similar move.

Another extensive case against racketeering initiated by Willis highlights the unlikelihood of her proposed schedule. The case accuses Jeffrey Williams, the musician known as Young Thug, along with several associates, of infringing upon Georgia's RICO statute – the principal accusation in the Trump situation. This case has been inching towards trial at a languid pace, even with Williams' assertion of his entitlement to a swift trial.

Willis is currently seeking an arraignment for the 19 accused to be held the following month.

Two defendants, the former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and ex-Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, encountered unsuccessful attempts to prevent their imminent arrests when a federal court declined their requests on Wednesday.

Both Clark and Meadows finalized bond agreements worth $100,000 with the prosecution on Thursday. While Meadows turned himself in and was subsequently released on bond, Clark reported to authorities around 1 a.m. on Friday, as indicated by inmate documentation.

In related news from last Thursday, Trevian Kutti, indicted in the Georgia case for allegedly intimidating an Atlanta election worker, settled on a $75,000 bond arrangement with the prosecutors prior to her voluntary surrender. As part of the bond agreement terms, Kutti is prohibited from "intimidating any person known to her to be a co-defendant or witness" in the case – a stipulation particularly pertinent given the nature of her charges. Furthermore, she's barred from discussing the case on social media platforms, including Instagram.

Harrison Floyd, an influential figure in the Black Voices for Trump initiative, also willingly reported to the Fulton County jail, as seen in the jail's records. Without having negotiated a bond agreement beforehand, he remained "in custody" per the Fulton County sheriff's report, and was anticipated to face a judge within the following day.

Georgia State Senator Shawn Still, recognized for posing as a false elector in 2020, has also been recorded as having surrendered at the jail. Post the announcement of charges, Still's attorney, Tom Bever, commented that "the evidence at trial will show that Sen. Still is innocent as the day is long" and expressed eagerness for their forthcoming court appearance to vindicate Still's reputation.

Early Friday morning, Mike Roman, an official from Trump's 2020 campaign, willingly presented himself, based on county inmate records. Additionally, Misty Hampton, once an election overseer in Coffee County, Georgia, turned herself into the Fulton County jail.

Robert Cheeley, a lawyer known for his pro-Trump stance, also made a voluntary appearance early on Friday, as per inmate logs. He faces charges for 10 state offenses, which encompass infractions like breaching Georgia's anti-racketeering legislation, committing perjury, and urging a public officer to breach their sworn duty.

Meadows is slated for a hearing on Monday, which revolves around his bid to transfer the Fulton County case against him to a federal jurisdiction. This hearing is increasingly appearing to be a significant challenge for Willis.

On Thursday, the district attorney's office in Fulton County issued subpoenas to Georgia's Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, and Frances Watson, the chief investigator for the secretary of state during the 2020 electoral process, demanding their testimony.

This subpoena is among several hints suggesting that Fulton County's prosecutors intend to spotlight Trump's January 2021 call during a Monday court session. In this call, Trump pressed Raffensperger to "find" the ballots that would overturn his election defeat in Georgia. This upcoming court session is focused on Meadows' endeavors to have the charges by the district attorney dismissed.

It's worth noting that Meadows was an active participant in the aforementioned call, leading to his indictment in the Georgia election subversion lawsuit, partly due to his involvement in that call.

For Clark, a federal judge has penciled in a hearing for September 18 to consider his plea for the Fulton County election interference case directed at him to be transitioned to a federal court.

After the 2020 election, Trump falsely declared himself the winner before attempting to have Georgia and other states' results overturned.

During several phone conversations, he exerted pressure on Georgia's election officials, including Raffensperger, seeking their assistance. Trump's campaign launched groundless legal actions aiming to invalidate Georgia's election results and endeavored to persuade state lawmakers to discard Joe Biden's valid electoral votes in favor of GOP representatives.

In the indictment issued the previous week, Willis leveled 13 charges against Trump, encompassing racketeering, conspiracy, and urging a public official to breach their sworn duty.

The racketeering allegation in the Georgia lawsuit, brought forth by Willis against all 19 accused individuals, asserts their involvement in an expansive "criminal enterprise" with the intent to overturn the 2020 election outcomes in Georgia.

Upon facing setbacks in this strategy, his campaign proposed a group of counterfeit, pro-Trump electoral representatives. Additionally, Trump pressed then-Vice President Mike Pence to acknowledge these unauthorized GOP representatives during the Electoral College validation session in Congress on January 6, 2021.

 

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