Former President Donald J. Trump surrendered at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta on Thursday and was booked on 13 felony charges for his efforts to reverse his 2020 election loss in Georgia. This marked an unprecedented scene as a former U.S. president voluntarily turned himself in at the notorious jail compound. Surrounded by concertina wire and signs directing visitors to the “prisoner intake” area, Trump walked into a facility currently under investigation by the Department of Justice due to allegations of unsanitary and unsafe conditions.
As news helicopters captured the moment and the motorcade of black SUVs drove through cleared streets accompanied by more than a dozen police motorcycles, two worlds collided in a way never before seen in American political history. Inside the jail, Trump underwent the process of criminal defendant intake. He was fingerprinted, had his mugshot taken, and was assigned an identification number. However, the process went quicker than usual, with Trump’s information already filled out by his aides.
Outside the jail, supporters and detractors gathered in the Atlanta heat. The media was kept at bay as the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office denied reporters access to the parking lot in front of the jail’s entrance. Before leaving Atlanta on his plane, Trump remained defiant, calling the Georgia case a “travesty of justice” and defending his right to challenge an election he deemed dishonest.
Trump’s bond in the case was set at $200,000 on Monday, and he used a commercial bondsman to post his bond in exchange for $20,000. Just before surrendering, Trump hired a veteran criminal defense lawyer, Steven H. Sadow, to represent him. Both sides of the case filed multiple legal motions on Thursday, and the Fulton County district attorney requested a trial date of October 23rd, much earlier than originally planned. Trump objected to the timing, indicating his desire for a slower-paced trial, but the judge approved the October date for one of the defendants.
Trump is the main defendant among 19 individuals indicted last week, and prosecutors are using a state version of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to demonstrate how Trump and his allies worked together to overturn the election results in Georgia. The indictment accuses Trump of multiple crimes, including impersonating a public officer, forgery, filing false documents, influencing witnesses, conspiracy to defraud the state, and acts involving theft. The indictment represents the broadest set of accusations against the former president thus far and carries penalties of between five and 20 years in prison.
This is the second case centered around Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. After a recording of Trump pressuring Georgia’s secretary of state to “find” additional votes was released, the Fulton County district attorney began her investigation. Despite the criminal charges, Trump’s popularity among Republican voters remains strong, as demonstrated by his lead over other Republican primary rivals.
As Trump’s legal troubles continue to unfold, recent polls show that a majority of respondents believe the charges against him are warranted. However, Trump remains neck and neck with President Joe Biden in hypothetical rematch polls. Outside the Fulton County jail, supporters and protesters gathered throughout the day, highlighting the continued divide over Trump’s actions and the implications of his legal battles.
Contributors to this article include Alan Feuer, Neil Vigdor, Ruth Igielnik, Maggie Haberman, Sean Keenan, Anna Betts, and Christian Boone.