Judge denies Kenneth Chesebro’s request to sever GA charges from Sidney Powell

Source: The Hill | September 6, 2023 | Zach Schonfeld

Judge denies Kenneth Chesebro’s request to sever Georgia charges from Sidney Powell

A state judge denied Kenneth Chesebro’s attempt to sever his charges in the Georgia election interference case from fellow Trump-aligned attorney Sidney Powell, saying he didn’t deem it necessary to do so to achieve a fair trial.

But Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee did signal Wednesday that he has deep doubts about District Attorney Fani Willis’s (D) broader desire to try all 19 co-defendants, including former President Trump, together.

Both Chesebro and Powell sought to separate themselves from the sweeping case – and from each other – as they filed motions for a speedy trial, which likely enables them to begin that process this fall.

Chesebro’s trial was already set to begin Oct. 23, with his attorneys at Wednesday’s hearing urging the judge to keep Powell’s trial separate, despite her similar motion for rapidity, but McAfee expressed his doubts.

“Based on what’s been presented today, I am not finding the severance from Mr. Chesbro or Ms. Powell is necessary to achieve a fair determination of the guilt or innocence for either defendant in this case,” McAfee said at the hearing.

McAfee, however, did not issue a final ruling as to whether the other 17 co-defendants — who have not sought a speedy trial at least yet — should also be tried in October. He gave Willis’s office an opportunity to further brief the issue.

“It sounds like the state is still sticking to the position that all these defendants should remain and they want to address some of these removal issues,” McAfee said. “I’m willing to hear that. I remain very skeptical, but we can – I’m willing to hear what you have to say on it.”

The hearing also marked the first televised proceeding in any of Trump’s four criminal cases. CNN and MSNBC carried most of the hearing live.

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