It’s logical to assume that if any of Donald Trump’s 18 co-defendants in the Georgia election conspiracy case were to cooperate with prosecutors, it could pose problems for the former president. However, it could also create challenges for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, according to a legal expert.
NYU law professor Melissa Murray, speaking on the Talking Feds with Harry Litman podcast, pointed out that the case against Trump and his co-defendants, who are facing charges under Georgia’s racketeering laws, might become more straightforward to prove if those implicated choose to cooperate independently.
Litman observed that there are signs of divisions within the group, citing the fact that five Trump co-defendants are already seeking to have their cases moved to federal court, and three others are requesting expedited trials as examples of individuals “looking to pursue their own paths, which I believe will only increase.”
“We are starting to see cracks,” Litman remarked, before asking Murray how this would affect Trump.
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“I don’t think that’s great for him. But I also think there’s a risk to Fani Willis too,” Murray responded. “I mean, a big part of charging them under this RICO statute is that it allows her to tell this narrative of a wide ranging and expansive criminal syndicate, and if people peel off and she loses some of these defendants, it may be harder for the jurors to understand the way in which all of these different elements were working in tandem to advance this criminal syndicate.
“So it’s not just a risk for Donald Trump that rats are jumping off the ship,” Murray continued. It is a risk to Fani Willis, because she has to tell a coherent story, and maybe it’s harder to be more coherent. If all of the parties aren’t still co-defendants.”
Listen to Harry Litman’s podcast below.
