Former President Donald Trump was indicted in Georgia along with 18 co-defendants on charges including racketeering and conspiracy. It has been noted that he pleaded not guilty and waived his arraignment on Thursday via Media Ite.
Trump was booked and had his mugshot taken last week along with his co-defendants while continuing to defend himself against charges that he tried to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. He had been scheduled to appear in court, in person, on Wednesday, September 6.
Notably, Georgia law allows criminal defendants to waive their right to hear the charges brought against them in person and enter formal charges via court filings. Co-defendants Ray Smith, Sidney Powell and Trevian Kutti have also waived their in-person appearance and entered “not guilty” pleas.
CNN covered the story as it broke:
This is marks the fourth time Trump has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges, which total 91 over four indictments. It has been two on the state level and two on the federal level. In this case, Powell and Kenneth Cheseboro are attempting to have themselves removed from the sprawling state case, invoking their rights to a speedy trial.
The 98-page indictment handed down from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis earlier this month accused Trump and his co-defendants of “knowingly and willfully join[ing] a conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in favor of Trump. That conspiracy contained a common plan and purpose to commit two or more acts of racketeering activity in Fulton County, Georgia, elsewhere in the State of Georgia, and in other states.”
Trump, who is running for president again and is the leading GOP candidate in the primary despite four indictments, has apparently already declared victory in the state of Georgia in the 2024 election, citing a poll showing him leading his GOP rivals in the state and calling the poll “A big win in Georgia for President Trump!”
Just in: Donald Trump pleads NOT GUILTY, waives arraignment in Fulton County, Georgia. pic.twitter.com/XfUutSU5tv
— Anna Bower (@AnnaBower) August 31, 2023
