Former President Donald Trump is opposing a request by Democrat Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to set Oct. 23 as the trial date for Trump and 18 co-defendants on charges related to allegations of trying to subvert Georgia's 2020 election results.
On the same day Trump turned himself into authorities following his indictment Aug. 14, the former president's legal team filed a motion against the trial date and also is seeking to sever his case from co-defendant Kenneth Chesebro, who has filed a motion for a speedy trial.
The action by Willis, who initially wanted a trial date in March, was seen as a response to Chesebro's motion. Chesebro worked with local officials for the GOP in Georgia to organize an alternate slate of electors.
"President Trump also alerts the Court that he will be filing a timely motion to sever his case from that of co-defendant Chesebro, who has filed a demand for speedy trial, or any other co-defendant who files such a demand," Trump attorney Steven Sadow wrote in the motion.
It was announced Thursday that Sadow replaced Drew Findling on Trump's legal team. Findling had represented Trump as recently as Monday, when terms of the former president's $200,000 bond were negotiated.
"I have been retained to represent President Trump in the Fulton County, Georgia case," Sadow said in a statement, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. "The president should never have been indicted. He is innocent of all the charges brought against him."