Former President Donald Trump has received a designated date for his appearance at Fulton County Jail in Georgia, during which he is anticipated to undergo booking, fingerprinting, and the process of having his mug shot taken, as per reports.
Trump, who is facing 13 charges, including racketeering, has not publicly disclosed the exact date he intends to surrender, yet it’s expected to be before the August 25 deadline set by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
The Fulton County sheriff’s office released a statement addressing the pivotal matter of where the former president will be apprehended and subjected to standard criminal procedures, as reported by CNN.
“As of now, guided by instructions from the district attorney’s office and the presiding judge, it is anticipated that all 19 individuals named in the indictment will be processed at the Rice Street Jail,” the statement read.
“It’s important to note that defendants have the flexibility to turn themselves in at any point. The jail operates 24/7,” the press release added. “Furthermore, due to the unique nature of this case, certain circumstances may change with minimal or no prior notice.”
Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat had previously expressed his intent to treat the individuals implicated in the Trump election subversion case according to standard practices for any defendants.
“Unless I’m informed otherwise, we will adhere to established protocols. Your status doesn’t impact this – we will have mug shots prepared for everyone,” Labat stated earlier this month.
Interestingly, the U.S. Department of Justice, under President Joe Biden’s administration, is presently investigating the Fulton County jail following a series of deaths.
One of these cases involved Christopher Smith, 34, who was found unresponsive at the facility and later died in the hospital, according to The Associated Press.
“The U.S. Department of Justice initiated an inquiry into the jail, referring to Lashawn Thompson’s September 2022 death as one of numerous fatalities that occurred in the facility over the past years. Thompson, 35, passed away in a cell infested with bedbugs in the jail’s psychiatric wing, drawing national attention,” the report noted.
“The county recently settled with Thompson’s family earlier this month.”
The network added, “Thus far this year, five individuals have died while in custody in Fulton County. In response to Thompson’s death, county commissioners allocated $5.3 million in additional jail funding in April for enhanced inmate health monitoring, surveillance cameras, and other upgrades.”
Former federal prosecutor Jennifer Rodgers, in a CNN segment on Tuesday after the indictment, suggested that it’s unlikely Willis will manage to bring the case to trial within the promised six-month period, as publicly stated during the indictment announcement.
“In 2022, just last year, she prosecuted a case involving a rapper and several others. What does this say about the timing of this case and how rapidly or gradually it might progress to trial?” CNN anchor Sara Sidner asked the former prosecutor.
“With her substantial experience in RICO cases throughout her prosecutorial career, Fani Willis understands the nuances of this matter. However, the Young Thug case is still in the phase of selecting jurors. It’s taken several months for just the jury selection,” she remarked.
“Choosing a jury for the former president and other high-ranking officials, lawyers, and the like will likely be more intricate than for the Young Thug RICO case. This emphasizes that a six-month timeframe to proceed with this trial is unrealistic,” she concluded.
Before the indictment, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney addressed significant logistical details during a regular Monday morning session at the courthouse, while overseeing grand jury proceedings.
“If a grand jury presents an indictment, that’s usually in the afternoon, and you can film and photograph that,” McBurney informed the gathered reporters and audience members in his courtroom, before addressing motions in a murder case linked to a nightclub shooting.
As outlined in a report by The Messenger, “at least a portion” of the indictment “may be televised.”
