Court Battles

All 19 defendants in Trump’s Georgia case plead not guilty, waive arraignments

Media vehicles stage outside the Fulton County Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)

The final co-defendant in the Fulton County, Ga., election interference case Tuesday waived their right to an in-person arraignment.

Misty Hampton’s filing means all 19 co-defendants have now pleaded not guilty and opted against entering their pleas before the judge and the cameras in the courtroom.

However, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who is assigned to oversee the case, has a standing order requiring defendants to file their waivers at least 48 hours prior to the hearing date.

Hampton, as well as several other co-defendants including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, filed their waivers just one day before the scheduled arraignments. 

It remains unclear as to whether the judge will still allow their waivers to take effect.

Former President Trump and other co-defendants pleaded not guilty last week in advance of the judge’s deadline.

The 19 defendants are accused of entering a criminal enterprise to overturn Georgia’s election results so that Trump could remain in power. They face a combined 41 charges spanning from conspiring to commit false statements and writings to state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act charges.