Georgia prosecutors plan to call 150 witnesses in Trump election case

Prosecutors in Georgia said Wednesday they plan to call at least 150 witnesses in the sweeping election interference case that charges former President Trump and 18 others with racketeering and other offenses.

At a Wednesday hearing, special prosecutor Nathan Wade said a trial would take four months if all of the co-defendants are tried together.

“A trial of these 19 co-defendants will take four months, and that does not include jury selection,” Wade said. “And it’s also predicated upon whether or not, of course, the defendants elect to testify or not. But four months is our time estimate.” 

Wade’s comments came during a hearing in Fulton County in which prosecutors began battling with lawyers for two co-defendants — Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell — who are hoping to sever their cases from each other and the other charged individuals.

“In terms of the number of witnesses, there are in excess of 150 witnesses that the state intends to call,” Wade said Wednesday. 

Fulton County, Ga., District Attorney Fani Willis (D) is hoping to try all of the defendants together, but Chesebro and Powell have filed motions for a speedy trial, which would likely allow them to be tried this fall.

Trump and multiple other defendants have said they won’t be ready for a trial on that advanced timetable.