Defense lawyers will be allowed to interview grand jury members in Georgia election interference case
Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee (L) looks on as attorney Manny Arora (R), who is representing Kenneth Chesboro, a co-defendant of former US President Donald Trump, speaks at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 14,
Lawyers for two of the defendants in the Georgia election interference case will be able to interview grand jurors who handed up the indictment at next month's trial.
Judge Scott McAfee ruled that the attorneys for Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell can speak with the jurors but said that the Court would oversee the interviews and the grand juror must agree to be questioned.
In his ruling, McAfee said that while there are secrecy rules for grand jury deliberations, "the court has not found nor been provided with any authority that suggests defense counsel are totally forbidden from contact."
The Fulton County District Attorney's Office opposed the request, accusing the defense of wanting to perform an illegal investigation.
McAfee also ordered the attorneys to give the court a list of questions within the next 3 days and also ordered the state to file any objections to the questions within 3 days.
After the questions are approved, the state will provide contact information for each grand juror and the court will reach out to the jurors to see if they are willing to be interviewed.
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Former President Donald Trump and his 18 co-defendants were indicted Aug. 14 for violating Georgia's RICO Act and other charges related to the 2020 election results in Georgia. The grand jury indictment was issued following a 2-and-1/2-year investigation by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and a recommendation for indictment by a special grand jury earlier in the year.
Offenses listed in the indictment include an alleged request from Trump to Georgia's Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, to alter votes. Other charges include making false statements and writings, impersonating a public officer, filing false documents, influencing witnesses, conspiracy to defraud the state, and perjury, among others.
Additional defendants in the case include Trump's former lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and former White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows. All defendants were ordered to surrender to the Fulton County Jail by noon on Aug. 25. Initially, Willis requested a trial date in March 2024, but that request has since been amended to Oct. 23, 2023. Trump continues to assert that he won the election and claims that he is now facing persecution.