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August 29, 2023 | 4:52 p.m
Three of former President Donald Trump’s 18 co-defendants charged with unlawfully attempting to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results have already pleaded not guilty in the full indictment.
Former campaign attorney Ray Stallings Smith III filed his plea on the 12 counts against him Monday night. He was followed Tuesday by publicist Trevian Kutti, who pleaded not guilty to three counts, and former Trump campaign attorney Sidney Powell, who pleaded not guilty to seven counts against her.
Due to the early pleas in law, the trio will be spared appearing in person on September 6 to face charges brought by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Trump, 77, is scheduled to be arraigned before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee at 9:30 a.m. that day. It wasn’t immediately clear if he would be filing a plea deal by then.
Ray Stallings Smith III grimaces in the corner for his mug shot.FULTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE/AFP via Getty Images
Smith, a partner at Atlanta-based law firm Smith and Liss, helped Trump’s effort to redeem his loss to Joe Biden in the Peach State. He is accused of advising the so-called “wrong voters” who signed legal documents falsely confirming that Trump actually won the election.
Powell, notorious for her “release the octopus” mantra, has requested a speedy trial under Georgian law, meaning her case could go to trial as early as October.
Kutti, the former publicist for Kanye West and R. Kelly, reportedly went to the home of Peach State poll worker Ruby Freeman and posed as a crisis manager. During the visit, Kutti Freeman threatened to be arrested if she didn’t falsely admit to committing voter fraud, prosecutors say.
Sidney Powell quickly became one of the public faces of Donald Trump’s efforts to thwart the 2020 election.via REUTERS
Trevian Kutti smiles for her mug shot.AP
Fani Willis has filed the fourth indictment against Donald Trump in about five months.REUTERS
Willis’ team presented his 41-point case against Trump and his 18 co-defendants on August 14.
All 19 defendants face at least one charge of violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
Willis began her investigation into the matter over two years ago in response to a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call Trump had with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which he stressed the need to “find 11,780 votes” — enough to undo his loss.
Donald Trump is the first sitting or former US President to be criminally indicted – a feat he has succeeded in four counts.Getty Images
Trump faces a total of 91 charges – 13 in the Fulton County case, four in the state election subversion case, 40 in the alleged hoarding of confidential documents, and 34 in the Manhattan case, alleging he falsified business records.
He has denied wrongdoing.
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