Inside Fulton County jail where Donald Trump and 18 allies will be booked over Georgia election plot
Donald Trump is currently negotiating the terms of his voluntary surrender with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in Georgia after receiving his fourth criminal indictment of the year on Monday, according to CNN. Mr Trump and 18 co-conspirators – lawyers Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman and Jenna Ellis and ex-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows among them – were formally charged with racketeering by Atlanta prosecutor Fani Willis over their alleged attempts to alter the presidential election result in the swing state in 2020 after it turned blue for Joe Biden, sealing the Democrat’s win. The ousted former president, still the front-runner for the Republican 2024 nomination despite his array of legal problems, is charged with 13 of the 41 counts in Ms Willis’s indictment and faces up to 70 years in prison if convicted. He now has until noon on Friday 25 August to be booked at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta and arraigned at its courthouse before Judge Scott McAfee, where he is again expected to enter not guilty pleas to all charges, as he has at his three previous arraignments in New York, Miami and Washington DC. A bond agreement is likely to be forged to spare Mr Trump having to stay overnight in jail, as is the usual custom, and he is again unlikely to be seen in handcuffs or forced to pose for a mugshot, although county sheriff Pat Labat has previously insisted he intends to apply the same “normal practices” to the politician and his co-accused as he would any other defendants. It is just as well for Mr Trump, a well-known germaphobe, that he will not have to spend an evening at Fulton County Jail, also known by the nickname “Rice Street” as it is notoriously overcrowded and in poor repair, with a reputation for “unhygienic living conditions”. “It’s miserable. It’s cold. It smells. It’s just generally unpleasant,” veteran defence attorney Robert G Rubin told The New York Times this week. “Plus, there’s a high degree of anxiety for any defendant that’s in that position.” The facility was considered state of the art when it was built in 1985 to hold 1,300 inmates. In recent years, it has been forced to house closer to 3,000 people, with an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) report from September 2022 observing that hundreds of people were being held at Fulton County Jail for longer than 90 days because they had not yet been formally charged or could not afford to pay off their bail bond. Another 117 had been held for more than a year because they had not been indicted and two more for over two years for the same reason, the report said. Fallon McClure, deputy director of policy and advocacy at the ACLU of Georgia, told the BBC the jail had “essentially been overcrowded since it was built”. “This has just been a perpetual cycle over and over for years,” she added, expressing pessimism that a long-touted $1.7bn replacement containment facility would ever be built. “There’s been a lot of talk of cleaning it up. We have not really seen or heard anything particularly significant. It seems like a lot of posturing.” Another recent report by the Southern Center for Human Rights recounted outbreaks of Covid-19, lice, scabies and cachexia, an affliction otherwise known as wasting syndrome, which hits those who are “significantly malnourished”. Six people have died in Fulton County custody this year, according to the BBC, including 19-year-old Noni Battiste-Kosoko in July (an autopsy report is still being carried out) and a 34-year-old man who was found unconscious in a medical unit cell last week. In September last year, another inmate, Lashawn Thompson, 35, died after being housed in a cell his lawyer likened to a “torture chamber”. The prisoner had spent three months in the jail’s psychiatric ward before he passed away and an independent medical review concluded that while his “untreated decompensated schizophrenia” had played a role in his death, so had dehydration, malnutrition and severe body infestation with insects, including lice and bed bugs. “We’re just letting people literally rot away there,” Sarah Flack, another local defence attorney, lamented to Insider. Read More Trump slammed for ‘racist’ Truth Social as he prepares to be booked into Fulton County Jail – live updates Trump attacks Fox News for using ‘worst’ photos of him: ‘Especially the big orange one’ Arrest, mugshot, cameras in court? What’s next for Donald Trump after his Georgia indictment Can Donald Trump still run for president after charges over 2020 election?
1970-01-01 08:00
The entire capital city of Canada's Northwest Territories has been ordered to evacuate as hundreds of wildfires scorch the region, officials say
Hundreds of wildfires burning in Canada's Northwest Territories have prompted emergency declarations and the evacuation of the capital city of Yellowknife by road and air.
1970-01-01 08:00
A teen said a masked man killed his parents — now he faces life in prison
On the night of 29 July, 2016, a 911 operator near Houston received a call from a concerned teenager. The young man told the operator that he heard gunshots at his home. When police arrived to check on the teenager, they found that both of his parents had been shot in the head while sleeping in their beds. The boy's mother, Dawn Armstrong, was pronounced dead at the scene. His father, former NFL linebacker Antonio Armstrong Sr, was rushed to a hospital where he died from his wounds. When police searched the house, they found the murder weapon — a .22 calibre pistol belonging to Mr Armstrong Sr — and a terrifying note. "I have been watching you for a long time. Come get me," the note read. But there was no shadowy killer waiting to play cat and mouse with the Houston police. Instead — at least so far as a Texas grand jury is concerned — the teenager who made the call, Antonio "AJ" Armstrong Jr, pulled the trigger, planted the gun, and wrote the threatening note on the night of his parents' deaths, according to the New York Post. Armstrong Jr, now 23, was found guilty on Wednesday and was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his parents when he was 16 years old. He stood quietly in the courtroom when his verdict and sentencing were read out. His wife — who was dating him at the time of the murders — sobbed. Jurors spent approximately 10-and-a-half hours deliberating before ultimately deciding Armstrong Jr was guilty. It was his third time at trial; the first two ended with hung juries, resulting in the need for retrials. Armstrong Jr has been wearing an ankle monitor since 2017 as a result. Since the night of the murders in 2016, Armstrong Jr has married his high-school sweetheart, Katie, and became a father. Now he will spend the rest of his life interacting with them through prison glass. During the trial, prosecutors revealed that a week before the murders, Armstrong Jr had used the murder weapon to shoot a pillow and a blanket inside his bedroom. The bullet lodged in his bedroom floor. They said he also lit a fire outside his parents' bedroom door two nights before he killed them. The evidence against Armstrong Jr did not end there; prosecutors revealed the teenager had searched for instructions on building a car bomb using his iPad. Investigators also doubted a story he told them about a masked intruder entering his home on the night of the murders. He reportedly told investigators that he saw a 6-foot-tall man in a mask flee his home on the night his parents were killed. However, he did not include that information in his initial reports, and data pulled from the home's security system showed no records of anyone entering the house on the night of the murders. Prosecutors argued that the teenager was lashing out after his parents scolded him for getting kicked out of his high school. The defence rejected that argument, and pointed to his mental health issues, which included paranoia and schizophrenia. After killing his parents, Armstrong Jr was placed in psychiatric hospitals, where a doctor testified for the defence that the teenager believed he was both a god and a devil. His defence plans to appeal the verdict. Read More Jared Bridegan: Prosecutors to announce major break in case of murdered Microsoft executive US Army soldier accused of killing his wife in Alaska faces court hearing Mississippi judge declares mistrial for two white men charged with shooting at Black FedEx worker
1970-01-01 08:00
Cubs Rumors: Another arm added, Morel talks walk-off, PCA call-up?
Cubs Rumors: Richard Bleier signs minor league deal with ChicagoThe Chicago Cubs' ongoing quest for additional arm support has brought MLB veteran Richard Bleier to the organization on a minor league contract, per Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. The 36-year-old is expected to suit up for Trip...
1970-01-01 08:00
Micah Parsons has a fiery justification for Cowboys training camp fights, punch
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons tried to justify his multiple fights during training camp.Training camp for all 32 NFL teams has gone on for nearly a month, as players prepare for the upcoming season. On a near-daily basis, fans have seen players get into fights during practice, whether ...
1970-01-01 08:00
Channel migrants: France arrests four people over fatal sinking
The suspects have been charged with involuntary manslaughter after six people died last weekend.
1970-01-01 08:00
North Carolina legislature sends election overhaul bill to governor's desk
North Carolina's Republican-controlled legislature passed a bill Wednesday that would make major changes to the state's election laws, the latest in efforts by GOP-led jurisdictions across the country to rewrite election procedures and impose restrictions on voting practices.
1970-01-01 08:00
Simone Biles and 4 Olympians to watch in 2023 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships
One year out from the 2024 Olympics, several U.S. Olympic gymnasts have their sights on a return to the Games. The road to Paris continues with the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships from August 24-27 at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.The 2023 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships wil...
1970-01-01 08:00
Trump is raking in supporters’ donations to pay for his legal battles. Some of his co-defendants are going broke
Since Donald Trump’s term as president ended and his power to pardon vanished with it in January 2021, he has managed to keep a wide range of former aides, confidantes and associates close to him by dispensing the millions of dollars he’s raised for his political action committee as legal fees for allies who’ve been caught up in investigations into his conduct. According to a Federal Election Commission disclosure report filed late last month, his Save America political committee spent roughly $20m on legal fees during the first half of this year. And a separate review of FEC filings dating back to when Mr Trump first reentered life as a private citizen shows the legal costs to be twice that amount dating back to the end of the ex-president’s term. The commission’s data reveals that Save America’s legal costs since January 2021 were $38m, the largest set of expenditures for the group. According to advisers to the ex-president, that amount represents legal fees not just for Mr Trump, but for dozens of former aides and associates who have become involved in the criminal investigations that have led to him facing four sets of charges in four separate courts. That group of aides includes Mr Trump’s two co-defendants in the criminal case pending against him in the Southern District of Florida, his longtime valet Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, a maintenance supervisor at Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. In a superseding indictment filed against the ex-president, Mr Nauta and Mr De Oliveira last month, prosecutors alleged that Mr Trump personally telephoned Mr De Oliveira and assured him that he would pay for his legal representation. The indictment also alleges that prior to that call, Mr Nauta conferred with another employee of the ex-president’s who vouched for Mr De Oliveira’s loyalty. In a statement, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said the ex-president’s political operation pays legal fees for his associates “to protect these innocent people from financial ruin and prevent their lives from being completely destroyed”. But Mr Trump’s legal largesse does not appear to extend to a small number of aides who’ve incurred the ex-president’s wrath even though their legal exposure has come as a result of their work for him. One of the 18 co-defendants who was indicted along with the former president in a sprawling racketeering case brought by the Fulton County, Georgia district attorney’s office is Jenna Ellis, an attorney and commentator who first came to public attention as part of the self-described “elite strike force” that pushed unfounded claims of election fraud after Mr Trump lost the 2020 presidential race to Joe Biden. Ms Ellis, who broke with Mr Trump and has endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in next year’s election, appears to be getting no help from the ex-president’s political operation. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) published on Tuesday, she included a link to a crowdfunding campaign on GiveSendGo, the right-wing competitor to GoFundMe that gained prominence in pro-Trump circles after the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Her attorney, Mike Melito, said on the campaign’s page: “We will fight for Jenna. If you would like to help support our efforts please consider donating by clicking the link below. America and the profession of law are worth the fight”. Another of her former “elite strike force” compatriots turned Georgia co-defendants, ex-New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, also appears to be struggling financially under a crush of legal fees brought on by his work for Mr Trump — work that has reportedly gone unpaid for nearly three years. According to CNN, Mr Giuliani and his longtime counsel, Robert Costello, journeyed to Mar-a-Lago earlier this year to plead for Mr Trump to turn on the financial spigot and alleviate some of the ex-mayor’s legal bills, which reportedly have reached the seven-figure mark. The former prosecutor, who now faces criminal charges under the same type of Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law which he used against the Italian-American mob in the 1980s, left only with a promise by Mr Trump to pay for “a small fee from a data vendor” which hosts the contents of digital devices for discovery in a defamation suit against him by two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Moss. Mr Giuliani, who recently listed his New York City apartment for sale was described in a court filing for that case as “having financial difficulties” that impede his ability to produce discovery. It’s not known exactly why Mr Trump has refused to cover his former lawyer and longtime friend’s legal costs, but according to multiple reports, he became disillusioned with Mr Giuliani’s work after it failed to result in him remaining in the White House despite having lost the 2020 election. Read More Trump judge makes barbed comment about Elon Musk as contents of Jack Smith’s Twitter warrant revealed Trump co-defendant Walt Nauta’s lawyer may have conflict of interest, prosecutors say All of Trump’s lawsuits and criminal charges - and where they stand Trump’s team creates legal defence fund to pay for growing number of allies caught up in his legal problems Connecticut official continues mayoral campaign despite facing charges in Jan. 6 case Biden’s approval rating on the economy stagnates despite slowing inflation Canadian woman sentenced to nearly 22 years for sending ricin letter to Trump
1970-01-01 08:00
Pistons projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
The Detroit Pistons finished last season with the worst record in the NBA. Cade Cunningham's return, along with the arrival of No. 5 pick Ausar Thompson, could change the team's fortunes.The Detroit Pistons were the worst team in the NBA last season. Such is life for a tanking team, of...
1970-01-01 08:00
Pat McAfee Show ESPN Schedule Announced
The Pat McAfee ESPN schedule has bene revealed.
1970-01-01 08:00
A Brazilian hacker claims Bolsonaro asked him to hack into the voting system ahead of 2022 vote
A Brazilian hacker claimed at a Congressional hearing on Thursday that former President Jair Bolsonaro wanted him to hack into the country’s electronic voting system to expose its alleged weaknesses ahead of the 2022 presidential election. Walter Delgatti Neto did not provide any evidence for his claim to the parliamentary commission of inquiry. But his detailed testimony raises new allegations against the former far-right leader, investigated for his role in the Jan. 8 riots in the capital city of Brasilia. Delgatti also told lawmakers that he met in person with Bolsonaro and told the former president it was not possible for him to hack the electronic voting system. The Associated Press has reached out to Bolsonaro’s lawyers who have not yet responded. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoings. Bolsonaro's political nemesis, leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, won the Oct. 30, 2022 election with just 50.9% of the votes. According to Delgatti, Bolsonaro had wanted the attempted hack to convince some voters that the country’s voting system was not reliable. Delhgatti also said he was promised a presidential pardon in case he ended up being investigated for his actions. Bolsonaro had long stoked belief among his hardcore supporters that the nation’s electronic voting system was prone to fraud, though he never presented any evidence. In June, a panel of judges concluded that Bolsonaro abused his power to cast unfounded doubts on the country’s electronic voting system and barred him from running for office again until 2030. During Thursday’s hearing, Bolsonaro’s allies in the commission questioned Delegatti’s credibility. In 2015, Delegatti was jailed for lying about being a federal police investigator. Two years later, he was investigated for allegedly forging documents, which he denies. Several people have also accused him of embezzlement — allegations that resurfaced during Thursday’s hearing. In Brazil, witnesses caught lying before a parliamentary commissions of inquiry — more commonly known under its Portuguese acronym CPI — can be imprisoned, according to Luis Claudio Araujo, a law professor at Ibmec University in Rio de Janeiro. Members of parliamentary commissions have the power to investigate, but also pass on information to prosecutors and federal police, Araujo said. The congressional hearing adds to the numerous legal headaches facing Bolsonaro for activities during his term in office. Federal police earlier this month alleged that Bolsonaro received cash from the nearly $70,000 sale of two luxury watches he received as gifts from Saudi Arabia while in office. Officers raided the homes and offices of several people purportedly involved in the case, including a four-star army general. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing involving the gifts. “It is shocking this somewhat amateurism and naïveté of Bolsonaro’s political group in congress," said Creomar de Souza, founder of political risk consultancy Dharma Politics. "So much material is documented and they insist they can control the interpretation of the facts and insist in keeping this congressional probe working.” ___ Associated Press writer Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo contributed to this report. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Brazil's police allege Bolsonaro got money from $70,000 sale of luxury jewelry gifts Brazil has 1.7 million Indigenous people, near double the count from prior census, government says An Indigenous leader has inspired an Amazon city to grant personhood to an endangered river
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