Fulton County DA to appeal ruling that dismissed 6 counts in Trump's Georgia election case
Fulton County DA to appeal ruling that dismissed 6 counts in Trump's Georgia election case
District Attorney Fani Willis filed a notice of appeal on Thursday.
ByOlivia Rubin
May 23, 2024, 6:31 PM
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on Thursday filed a notice of appeal on a March ruling that dismissed six of the counts in the Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump and others.
In March, Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee dismissed six of the counts, saying they lacked sufficient details. They included three against Trump, who had faced 13 counts in the case and now faces 10.
MORE: Judge throws out 6 counts of Trump's Georgia election interference indictment
The notice of appeal, known as a cross appeal, comes after the appeals court already agreed to take up Trump and his co-defendants' appeal over their continued efforts to disqualify Willis from the case.
"The State files this notice of cross appeal within 15 days of the Defendants' initial notices of appeal," Thursday's filing states.
ABC News contributor and former prosecutor Chris Timmons said the state essentially had an open opportunity to appeal, because the Court of Appeals is already looking at the case as it relates to the disqualification issue.
Former President Donald Trump at New York State Supreme Court in New York, on Oct. 2, 2023.Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty Images
"Here, because the Court of Appeals is already taking the case, the State has nothing to lose from cross appealing," said Timmons. "It won't take any longer for the case to be decided."
Trending Reader Picks
Smith suspected added obstruction effort by Trump
May 21, 4:50 PM
Tornado leaves 4 dead, 35 injured in Iowa
May 22, 11:02 PM
Johnson disappointed with chaotic House meeting
May 17, 3:34 PM
Trump and 18 others pleaded not guilty last August to all charges in a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia. Four defendants subsequently took plea deals in exchange for agreeing to testify against other defendants.
The former president has blasted the district attorney's investigation as being politically motivated.