Fani Willis suggests new date for Trump trial: filing

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is proposing a trial start date of August 5, 2024 for former President Donald Trump's election racketeering case, according to a new filing Friday.

This comes amid uncertainty about the start date of a number of other trials against the former president, including the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case and the federal election interference case, both brought by special counsel Jack Smith.

"The State requests that this Court schedule the remaining Defendants [including Trump] for a Final Plea hearing date of Friday, June 21, 2024, and to begin trial on Monday, August 5, 2024," said the filing from Willis. "This proposed trial date balances potential delays from Defendant Trump's other criminal trials in sister sovereigns and the other Defendants' constitutional speedy trial rights."

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In Georgia, defendants have a right to a speedy trial, and several co-defendants have used this to try to sever their cases from Trump's, including attorney John Eastman.

"Currently, Defendant Trump is set for trial in the District of Columbia on March 4, 2024, and the Southern District of Florida on May 20, 2024," the filing continued. "A start date of August 5, 2024, is therefore unlikely to be subject to delay or interference from these other trials."

So far, several of Trump's co-defendants have pleaded guilty, including bail bondsman Scott Hall and attorneys Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, and Jenna Ellis.