Trump has waived his right to an arraignment and entered a not-guilty plea to 13 felony counts in Georgia.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported:
Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to the 13 criminal charges recently handed up against him by a Fulton County grand jury. In a brief court filing, the Republican also acknowledged that he is waiving his right to an arraignment.
Understanding my rights, I do hereby freely and voluntarily waive my right to be present at my arraignment on the Indictment and my right to have it read to me in open court,” Trump stated in the document.
This means that Trump won’t be back in court in Georgia next week to appear before the judge, hear his charges, and enter his plea. The state of Georgia allows defendants to waive their arraignment and enter their plea remotely. All of the out-of-state defendants in the case related to an alleged plot to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia are expected to also waive their arraignments. Trump has virtually vanished from the campaign trail, and his social media have become increasingly unhinged since he was charged in Georgia and had his federal election interference trial date set for March 4, 2024.
Trump’s next court appearance in Georgia may not come until the start of his trial.