A judge indicated that the man considered a key witness in former President Trump and his co-defendants' attempt to disqualify Georgia prosecutors would have to take the stand again, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Defense attorneys have alleged that Terrence Bradley, a former partner and divorce attorney for special prosecutor Nathan Wade, has knowledge that contradicts Wade's claims that he began a romantic relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) only after he was hired.
But when Bradley took the stand at a recent hearing, he invoked attorney-client privilege and referenced his previous representation of Wade in his divorce.
On Monday, Judge Scott McAfee met privately with Bradley to determine whether the communications were privileged.
Later that day, the judge told defense attorneys via email that the communications were not confidential and that Bradley would take the stand again at a hearing as early as Tuesday, according to the source.
The development was first reported by MSNBC's Katie Phang.
The order for Bradley to return to the witness stand represents a key step in Trump's push to disqualify Willis and drop election racketeering charges, one of four criminal charges against the former president. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The Hill has reached out to prosecutors and Bradley's attorney for comment.
The revelation of the romantic relationship has led to a weeks-long detour in the Georgia case as defense attorneys claim it is a conflict of interest. They claim Willis benefited financially from vacations she spent with Wade.
Prosecutors acknowledge the relationship but deny any conflict. Both Wade and Willis insisted they split their expenses roughly evenly, and their romance began in 2022, after Wade's hiring.
However, a former friend of Willis refuted this timeline, explaining that the duo's relationship actually began after they met at a conference in 2019. Defense attorneys contend that Bradley would bolster that claim and become a second person to contradict prosecutors' claims under oath.
At the same recent hearing, Bradley admitted that she texted and called a defense attorney while preparing the motion that originally revealed the prosecutors' romance.
Before the judge decides whether to disqualify Willis, he scheduled closing arguments for Friday afternoon.
The judge also addressed defense attorneys' attempt to use cellphone data as evidence, suggesting that Wade visited the district attorney's home dozens of times before he was hired.
Prosecutors raised strong objections, saying the footage “in no way proves” the duo were together at the times stated.
“[A]And in fact, the evidence clearly establishes that District Attorney Willis was elsewhere on several relevant dates and times, including while working at the Fulton County District Attorney's Office and on a visit [sic] “The three crime scenes where a mass murder motivated by racial and gender bias had taken place,” they continued.
Ella Lee contributed.
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