A Fulton County judge presiding over the cases of 19 defendants including former President Donald Trump said all court proceedings in the sweeping racketeering and election interference case will be livestreamed and televised.
Judge Scott McAfee announced Thursday that hearings and trials related to the case would be broadcast on the Fulton County Superior Court YouTube channel. Unlike the strict rules of federal district courts, Georgia state courts provide significant transparency of proceedings, including audio and video streams.
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McAfee also said that members of the media would be allowed to use computers and cellphones within the courtroom for nonrecording purposes during court proceedings and that there would be options for pool coverage from photographers and network videographers.
Although Trump is facing two federal and two state criminal investigations, the case in Fulton County stands in contrast as one of the most transparent to the public.
However, it remains to be seen whether Trump's case will stay in federal court. Co-defendant and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows attended a hearing Monday in Atlanta federal court over his bid to have his case transferred to a U.S. district court. There, reporters were barred from bringing cellphones, laptops, and cameras.
At least four other co-defendants have sought to have their case moved to federal court, and Trump's former lawyers who are also facing charges, Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, have demanded a speedy trial.
District Attorney Fani Willis on Tuesday asked McAfee to expedite the trial for "all 19 defendants" to Oct. 23, 2023, in response to his previous order setting a trial for Chesebro on that date, when he exempted the other defendants from his order.
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Trump on Thursday waived his arraignment appearance in court next week and entered a "not guilty" plea to 13 charges he faces in the case. He also submitted a filing to sever his case from the defendants who have requested a speedy trial, saying he will "not have sufficient time to prepare" for the case by Oct. 23.
The former president is expected to follow Meadows in seeking to remove his case from state to federal, though even if that happens, the transparency allowed in Georgia proceedings could provide an informative view of how his co-defendants are faring in state court.