Georgia jail where Donald Trump ‘expected to be held’ probed for unsafe conditions
A jail where ex-President Donald Trump and 18 of his co-defendants are expected to turn themselves in is the subject of an investigation over dangerous conditions.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis reportedly plans to keep Trump in a holding cell at the Fulton County Jail as he is processed over charges around his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
It is the same jail that the US Justice Department last month announced it had opened a civil investigation on, regarding conditions.
‘People in prisons and jails are entitled to basic protections of their civil rights,’ stated US Attorney General Merrick Garland on July 13.
‘We launched this investigation into the Fulton County Jail based on serious allegations of unsafe, unsanitary living conditions at the jail, excessive force and violence within the jail, discrimination against incarcerated individuals with mental health issues, and failure to provide adequate medical care to incarcerated individuals.’
The Justice Department had not reached any conclusions around the allegations at the time of the launch of the probe.
Fulton County Jail’s apparent unsafe conditions could reportedly prevent Trump from being held there.
‘Secret Service has a duty to protect the president and with this jails record of inmate treatment in the past, there is just no possible way they would allow that,’ a source told the New York Post on Friday.
‘This is another humiliation ritual and political theater attempt by a corrupt prosecution.’
Trump and 18 of his allies were indicted late Monday. Trump faces 13 counts including charges of conspiracy, violating Georgia’s anti-racketeering law, conspiracy and asking a public official to violate their oath of office.
On Tuesday, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Natalie Ammons stated that the guidance they received from the district attorney’s office and the presiding judge was that ‘it is expected that all 19 defendants named in the indictment will be booked at the Rice Street Jail’, which is the Fulton County Jail.
Willis said she would give the defendants ‘the opportunity to voluntarily surrender’ no later than August 25 at noon.
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