Jury selection is scheduled to start on Friday for the first defendant going to trial in the Georgia case that accuses former President Donald Trump and others of illegally conspiring to overturn the 2020 election in the state.
Lawyer Kenneth Chesebro was indicted along with Trump and 17 others just over two months ago. Two of the defendants, including Sidney Powell, have already pleaded guilty to reduced charges. No trial date has been set for the rest.
If Chesebro doesn’t take a plea deal before the trial starts, it will provide an extensive look at the evidence that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her team have gathered against him and the other defendants.
Here’s what to expect:
The indictment alleges that Chesebro and the other defendants “refused to accept that Trump lost, and they knowingly and willfully joined a conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in favor of Trump.”
During jury selection, the defense and prosecution will likely assess potential jurors’ feelings about Trump, their political leanings, and their opinions on the baseless claims of election fraud.
Powell, who was originally set to go on trial with Chesebro, pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts. As part of her deal, she must testify truthfully if called as a witness in future trials related to the case.
All the defendants are accused of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) by participating in a scheme to keep Trump in power despite his election loss.
Chesebro is specifically accused of working on a plan to have Georgia Republicans sign a certificate falsely declaring Trump as the winner of the state’s electors. He faces six felony conspiracy counts related to this plan.
Chesebro’s attorneys argue that his actions were justified under Georgia and federal law and that he acted as a constitutional law expert providing a legal opinion to the Trump campaign.
The 450 prospective jurors summoned to the courthouse in downtown Atlanta will fill out an extensive questionnaire. They will then undergo individual questioning, and the defense and prosecution will have an hour per group of 14 jurors to ask additional questions.
Additional potential jurors may be brought in to ensure there are enough for the selection process.
The judge aims to have the jury seated and sworn in by November 3 to meet the statutory speedy trial deadline.
The prosecutors intend to prove the entire alleged conspiracy, using the same witnesses and evidence in any trial in the case. The trial is estimated to take four months with over 150 witnesses called.
McAfee, the judge presiding over the case, has informed prospective jurors that the trial may last up to five months.
