Judge to Hear Arguments on Revoking Bond of Trump Co-Defendant in Georgia Election Case
ICARO Media Group
(Atlanta, AP) - A Fulton County judge is scheduled to hear arguments on Tuesday regarding a motion to revoke the bond of Harrison Floyd, one of former President Donald Trump's co-defendants in the Georgia case related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
The motion to revoke Floyd's bond was filed by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis last week, alleging that Floyd had been attempting to intimidate and contact potential witnesses and co-defendants in violation of his release conditions. Willis argued that Floyd's actions were in breach of the terms of his bond.
In response to the motion, Floyd's attorneys filed a court document stating that Willis' allegations were baseless and characterized the motion as a "retaliatory measure." They argued that Floyd had neither threatened nor intimidated anyone, nor had he communicated directly or indirectly with witnesses or co-defendants.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee has set a hearing for Tuesday afternoon to consider Willis' motion.
The charges against Floyd stem from allegations of harassment against Ruby Freeman, a Fulton County election worker who was falsely accused of election fraud by Trump and his supporters. According to the indictment, Floyd was involved in a conversation on January 4, 2021, during which Freeman was pressured to lie about participating in election fraud.
Floyd, who held a leadership position in the organization Black Voices for Trump, is one of 18 individuals charged alongside Trump in the wide-ranging indictment issued in August. The indictment accuses the defendants of participating in an illegal scheme to undermine the presidential election results in an effort to keep Trump in power.
As of now, four defendants have pleaded guilty after reaching agreements with prosecutors, including providing testimony in potential trials. Trump and the remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty. While no trial date has been set, District Attorney Willis has requested a trial date of August 5, 2024.
Floyd has been the only defendant to have been incarcerated following his indictment, as he did not have a lawyer reach a bond agreement prior to turning himself in at the Fulton County Jail. The conditions of his release prohibit any direct or indirect communication pertaining to the case with co-defendants or known witnesses.
In her motion to revoke Floyd's bond, Willis cited various social media posts made by Floyd in recent weeks. These posts included repeated attacks against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and frequent mentions of Freeman, who is expected to be a witness in the case. Floyd also accused attorney Jenna Ellis, a co-defendant who recently pleaded guilty, of lying on a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Willis labelled these posts as "intentional and flagrant violations" of Floyd's bond conditions.
Floyd's lawyers argued that while Trump's bond order specifically outlined restrictions regarding the use of social media, Floyd's bond conditions did not. They further cited examples of Trump's own social media posts targeting his co-defendant Mark Meadows, White House chief of staff, and attorney Sidney Powell, who pleaded guilty in the case.
Floyd's legal team contended that tagging individuals on social media is akin to shouting at someone across a crowded stadium and asserted that Floyd would not engage in attacking Freeman as he views her as a potential favorable witness for his defense.
They also argued that Floyd's social media posts constitute protected political speech under the First Amendment and accused Willis of retaliating against Floyd for rejecting a plea offer and requesting Fulton County election records through a subpoena, among other actions.
The hearing before Judge McAfee will determine the fate of Floyd's bond. The case continues to unfold, with proceedings yet to determine if and when a trial will take place.
(Note: This article is generated based on the given information and does not reflect real events or quotes.)