Donald Trump pleads not guilty in Georgia election interference, waives arraignment

WASHINGTON: Former US President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty in theGeorgia election interference case, waiving the right to appear in court next week, CNN reported on Thursday. This plea means that Trump will not appear in person in Fulton County Court in Atlanta next week.

Trump, the frontrunner for 2024 presidential polls is among 19 people charged with a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. Georgia law allows criminal defendants to waive their in-person appearance and enter a formal plea through court filings, CNN reported. Meanwhile, Trump’s arraignment marks the fourth time that the former President has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges since leaving the presidency.

In this case, Trump is charged with racketeering in his alleged efforts to upend the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Several of the former president’s co-defendants have also waived their in-court appearances and pleaded not guilty, including Sidney Powell and Trevian Kutti. Those defendants who do not waive their appearance will attend court as scheduled on September 6, CNN reported.

Although no official date has been set for Trump to go to trial in Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, a Democrat, asked the judge overseeing the case last week to schedule a trial for all 19 defendants for October 23, 2023. In response, lawyers for Trump said they oppose the proposed date and have previewed the likelihood of pre-trial disputes that will drag the proceedings, CNN reported. Earlier, Trump surrendered himself in Fulton County jail in Atlanta, in connection with the Georgia election subversion case. But he was later released on bond, according to jail records, CNN reported.

The jail records show that the former US President was placed under arrest and booked at the Fulton County jail on Thursday (US local time) night in connection with the Georgia election subversion case. Trump was at the jail for about 20 minutes. The mugshot of the former President that was released from Atlanta jail, went viral on social media, and was also used by Trump’s presidential campaign to sell merchandise and raise money and support. Meanwhile, Trump faces a total of 91 charges across four criminal cases. His surrender and arraignment in Georgia are expected to look different from those in his previous three criminal cases.