Trump’s election charges in Georgia separated from two former lawyers

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee on Thursday ruled that former President Donald Trump will be tried separately from two of his former lawyers. Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro will be tried starting on Oct. 23. Trump’s trial date was not immediately scheduled. Fulton County Prosecutor Fani Willis has charged Trump and 18 co-defendants under a state anti-racketeering law, alleging the group tried to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election results in the state of Georgia. All the defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Why are the two lawyers being tried so soon? Powell and Chesebro had filed motions demanding a speedy trial. Trump on Wednesday filed a motion to waive his right to a speedy trial in exchange for having his case tried separately from his co-defendants. Other co-defendants are seeking to have their charges separated from the group, while Willis has argued all the co-defendants should be tried together.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in the Stew about the prosecution’s allegations against Trump in Georgia.