Staff Reports
In the ongoing criminal case against former President Donald Trump in Fulton County, Georgia, three of his legal advisors have recently entered guilty pleas. However, former prosecutor David Gelman doesn’t believe that these plea deals will strengthen the case against Trump. Despite the mainstream media’s excitement over what they claim is the “collapse” of Trump’s inner circle, Gelman remains unconvinced.
New Guilty Pleas Unlikely to Bolster Georgia Case Against Trump, Former Prosecutor Says https://t.co/6Ed2OQNYDF via @NTDNews
— Michael J. Luna (@MichaelJLuna1) October 26, 2023
Attorney Sydney Powell, who supported efforts to challenge the 2020 election results, pled guilty to six misdemeanor charges on October 19. The next day, attorney Kenneth Chesebro accepted a plea deal and admitted to one felony count of conspiracy to commit filing false documents. Jenna Ellis, another attorney who backed Trump’s election challenge, also pled guilty to a felony count of aiding and abetting false statements and writings.
Scott Hall, a bail bondsman also involved in the Fulton County case, took a plea deal last month and pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with the performance of election duties. As part of their agreements, Chesebro, Hall, Powell, and Ellis have agreed to testify for the prosecution against Trump and the other defendants.
Gelman, a former prosecutor himself, believes that these early plea deals were offered to pressure other defendants to turn against Trump. He explains that the goal is to make everyone “sweat” and potentially flip on the main individual, in this case, the former president. Gelman also mentions that defendants often accept plea deals due to financial constraints.
While Gelman and Trump’s defense attorney, Steve Sadow, downplay the significance of these guilty pleas, it remains to be seen how the remaining defendants will testify. Gelman points out that the defense will have the opportunity to cross-examine the plea deal defendants and challenge their claims. He also believes that it will be challenging for the prosecutors to prove that Trump had the intent to commit a crime.
Overall, these guilty pleas do not appear to be the significant breakthrough for the prosecution that some may assume. Gelman’s experience as a former prosecutor leads him to believe that this case against Trump will face significant challenges and may not bring the desired outcome.
