Fani Willis, the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, asked a judge on Thursday to set a trial date of Oct. 23, 2023, for former President Donald Trump and the 18 other defendants charged in connection with alleged efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.
Willis previously proposed that the trial should start on March 4, 2024. But in response to defendant Kenneth Chesebro’s request for a speedy trial, Willis called for proceedings to begin for all defendants on Oct. 23 of this year instead.
Less than two hours later, Trump’s newly appointed attorney filed a response informing the court that Trump opposes the Oct. 23 date, and said he would seek to sever the former president’s case from that of Chesebro or any other defendant who asks for the trial to be expedited.
Willis’ proposed timeline is aggressive and sure to elicit pushback from more defendants given the complexity of the case and the mountains of evidence that defense teams are entitled to review before any trial begins. In each of the three other cases in which Trump faces charges, his attorneys have asked for trials to be delayed beyond the presidential election next November.
It’s unclear when the judge in the Georgia case might decide on a trial schedule.
Chesebro, an attorney who supported Trump, filed a “demand for speedy trial” on Aug. 23.
“Without waiving any objection as to the sufficiency of defendant Kenneth John Chesebro’s filing, the state requests that this court specifically set the trial in this case to commence on October 23, 2023,” Willis wrote in response.
Scott Grubman, an attorney for Chesebro, said in a statement that his client “will be prepared to move forward with trial for whatever date the Court ultimately sets.” In an earlier statement, Grubman said Chesebro “maintains his innocence and remains confident as the legal process continues.”
Trump and 18 of his associates were indicted on racketeering, election fraud and other charges last week related to alleged attempts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.
The new proposed trial date comes as defendants in the case, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, continue to turn themselves in ahead of a noon Friday deadline to surrender. Trump is expected to arrive in Fulton County for processing on Thursday evening and has denied all wrongdoing. Giuliani has also maintained his innocence.
Graham Kates contributed reporting.
