In a unanimous ruling, a three-judge panel on the Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee’s decision to dismiss six charges in the racketeering case against President Trump and 18 co-defendants, agreeing with McAfee’s March ruling that the indictment lacked sufficient detail.
“We find that the indictment fails to include enough detail to sufficiently apprise the defendants of what they must be prepared to meet so that they can intelligently prepare their defenses,” wrote Judge E. Trenton Brown III in the opinion.
Willis had asked the appeals court to reinstate the six charges back in October. Friday’s decision adds to the challenges confronting Willis, who was disqualified from the case last month due to a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the attorney she appointed to lead Trump’s prosecution. The Georgia Court of Appeals was the body that removed her from the case.
In another development Friday, Trump’s legal team petitioned Georgia’s Supreme Court to decline hearing Willis’s appeal of her disqualification. If the appeal is rejected, a different prosecutor may take over the case.
Despite this victory for Trump and his co-defendants, the primary Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charge remains intact. However, with Trump set to be inaugurated for a second term on Monday, legal experts suggest that this case, like others involving the president, will face significant obstacles in moving forward.
Read Trump’s petition to the Georgia Supreme Court here.
