Trump will surrender in the Georgia jail on Thursday — here’s what to expect when he’s potentially shot for the first time

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Former President Donald Trump will turn himself in to authorities in Fulton County, Georgia, on Thursday, he confirmed Monday night – and is likely to take his first mugshot – as he faces his fourth indictment on charges related to his and his allies’ efforts to overthrow state power are due to election 2020.

Mass on August 12 in Des Moines, Iowa.Getty Images

Important facts

When will Trump capitulate? Trump confirmed on Truth Social that he intends to travel to Georgia on Thursday to surrender; He and the other co-defendants in the case have until 12 noon on Friday, August 25.

Where will it take place? Trump is being tried at the Fulton County Jail on Rice Street, which is known for its particularly poor prison conditions. The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation at the facility in July.

What happens when he turns himself in? Terms of Trump’s surrender are reportedly still being negotiated; Typically, defendants held in prison are searched, medically examined, fingerprinted, and mug shots taken. However, CNN points out that it is still unclear whether Trump and other high-level defendants would have to go through the same process in the case.

Does he get a mug shot? The Fulton County Sheriff has indicated Trump will have a mugshot taken in jail like other defendants, saying he will adhere to “normal practices” unless told otherwise, although the Guardian reports on Trump’s mugshot – both whether and whether a release will be made are still being negotiated, with Trump’s legal team reportedly opposed to his being photographed.

Does he have to post a deposit? Trump on Monday agreed to place $200,000 as a condition of his release, including $80,000 for racketeering and $10,000 for each of his other 12 charges.

Will he be taken into custody? Trump is not expected to be held, especially since he has negotiated a bail agreement that prohibits him from threatening witnesses or communicating with the other defendants about the case — although Trump has sent messages in the past in which he names people criticized those involved in the investigation.

Will he appear in court? Fulton County filings typically have 72 hours to appear before a judge, but attorneys told CNN that Trump and his co-defendants are unlikely to appear in court at all for the first time — as they have already been charged and most likely will will have negotiated their bail in advance — and the defendants could then appear virtually for their charges, or they could refrain from doing so altogether, making it uncertain when Trump will actually appear in court in the case.

When does the case come up for trial? That’s still unclear — although Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has suggested the trial should begin on March 4, 2024, legal experts say the complex case involving 19 defendants is unlikely to go to court any time soon.

Big number

13. That’s the number of state charges against Trump in Fulton County, including racketeering (known as the RICO charges), solicitation of an officer’s breach of oath, conspiracy to impersonate an officer, and conspiracy to commit first-degree forgery, false Statements and writings, conspiracy to commit false statements and writings, filing false documents and conspiracy to commit filing false documents. Any charge of a crime, if convicted, carries a prison sentence of between one and 20 years, depending on the charge, and most carry a fine, or a fine as well.

main critic

Trump has denied the allegations against him and has maintained his innocence. He wrote on Truth Social Monday that the investigation was a “witch hunt” and claimed the investigation against him was “election interference” to harm his 2024 campaign.

Surprising fact

If Trump is convicted, it will be difficult for him to get a pardon — at least for the foreseeable future. Georgia law does not allow governors to pardon convicted felons, but rather delegates that authority to an independent body. An application for a pardon is also possible no earlier than five years after the sentence has been served.

tangent

Trump is expected to seek to take the case to federal court — as his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has already requested — arguing that his post-election actions were part of his official duties as president. Federal officials may refer state cases to federal court “for or in connection with any act done under the guise of such office.” Moving the indictment to federal court could increase the likelihood that Trump’s case will be dropped, as it would reinforce Trump’s argument that he enjoys presidential “immunity.” However, legal experts are largely skeptical that the move will work, and if Trump tries in federal court but is still convicted, he still could not receive a federal pardon.

Important background

Trump was indicted last week in Georgia along with 18 other co-defendants as part of Willis’ wide-ranging investigation into the aftermath of the 2020 election, which first began in February 2021. Other defendants indicted in the case include Meadows and attorney Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, Jenna Ellis and Jeffrey Clark. The indictment alleges the defendants are a criminal enterprise aimed at unlawfully manipulating election results, including through a “fake electoral program” that involves sending false voter rolls to Congress, allegedly damaging voting equipment and state legislatures and state officials are pressured into rejecting the results. such as Trump’s phone call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which he encouraged the Secretary of State to “find” enough votes to nullify President Joe Biden’s victory. The Fulton County indictment is Trump’s fourth indictment, following the indictments in Manhattan and by the Justice Department in two investigations that put the former president in legal jeopardy, facing hundreds of years in prison and millions of dollars in fines if convicted.

further reading

Trump indicted in Georgia: Here are the crimes he’s being charged with – and the jail terms they’re carrying (Forbes)

What makes Trump’s indictment of Georgia different: TV trial, mugshot — and the difficulty of a pardon (Forbes)

Trump is expected to surrender in the Fulton County Jail on Thursday or Friday next week (CNN)

How surrenders work in the troubled Fulton County jail — and why Trumps will be different (CNN)

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I’m a New York-based senior reporter covering breaking news at Forbes. I have previously covered politics and news for Vanity Fair and Mic, and as a theater critic I am a member of the New York Outer Critics Circle. Follow me on Twitter @alisond64 or contact me at adurkee@forbes.com.

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