According to Mediate, the possibility of witnessing a former president facing a criminal indictment live on television and mobile screens appears to be on the horizon, as a judge in Fulton County, Georgia has ruled to permit cameras in the courtroom for such an event. This decision comes as the district attorney’s office, led by Fani Willis, presents its case to a grand jury regarding former President Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election specifically in Georgia.
This legal development comes amidst a year marked by significant legal challenges for Trump, who has faced indictments on various fronts. In Manhattan, he was indicted over hush money payments allegedly made to Stormy Daniels, while federal charges were brought against him for the mishandling of classified documents and his alleged role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election.
In the Fulton County case, the grand jury proceedings have generated intense anticipation, with expectations running high that the grand jury may opt to issue Trump’s fourth indictment. The unique historical significance of indicting a former president has prompted discussions about whether cameras should be allowed in courtrooms for such proceedings, and this Georgia case seems poised to break the mold by permitting video coverage.
Judge Robert McBurney, presiding over the proceedings, provided insights into the potential televised moments. He indicated that the public and media could expect to film and photograph at least part of the indictment announcement. Should the grand jury decide to indict, the moment will be captured as the indictment is presented to Judge McBurney for approval and subsequently made public. However, McBurney clarified that there would be no audible reading of the indictment documents.
The grand jury’s meetings, occurring on Mondays and Tuesdays, have intensified the anticipation surrounding the potential indictment announcement. The process involves the indictment being transferred to the county courthouse by various representatives and then presented to Judge McBurney for public release, along with the disclosure of jurors’ names. The media’s cameras will be allowed to record the moment when the indictment becomes public, marking a significant shift in the traditional approach to courtroom proceedings.
If the grand jury votes to indict, be it on Monday or Tuesday, the indictment will be walked over from Willis’ office to the county courthouse by a representative of the clerk’s office, the Fulton County sheriff’s office and the grand jury.
It will be presented to McBurney to sign and be made public. The names of jurors will also be made public at that time.
If an indictment happens on Monday or Tuesday, expect it to be in the afternoon, and the media’s cameras in the courtroom will be allowed to film the moment it is made public, McBurney said.
There will not, however, be an out loud reading of the documents, he said.
“There’s no reading of anything.” There’s also no heads up for the judge of whether that indictment is coming until it’s presented to him.
