Current:Home > MarketsKenneth Chesebro rejected plea offer ahead of Georgia election trial: Sources -Streamline Finance
Kenneth Chesebro rejected plea offer ahead of Georgia election trial: Sources
View
Date:2025-04-17 03:29:06
One of former President Donald Trump's co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case rejected a plea deal from prosecutors ahead of his trial this month, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Attorney Kenneth Chesebro, one of the 18 defendants charged alongside Trump in Fulton County case racketeering case, rejected an offer from prosecutors, the sources said.
The deal would have allowed Chesebro to avoid prison time by pleading guilty to one felony count of racketeering, the top charge in the indictment, according to the sources.
MORE: Jury selection to begin Friday in first Georgia election interference trial
He would have had to agree to testify against his codefendants -- including Trump -- in exchange for three years' probation and a $10,000 fine.
The terms of the deal also included a written letter of apology, the sources said. The deal would have been made under Georgia's first-offender act, under which the conviction would have been wiped from Chesebro's record after probation was completed.
Chesebro rejected the deal in late September, the sources said. He is facing seven counts after allegedly drafting a strategy to use so-called "alternate electors" to prevent Joe Biden from receiving 270 electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election, according to the indictment.
An attorney for Chesebro declined to comment to ABC News. A spokesperson for the Fulton County district attorney's office also declined to comment.
Chesebro's trial, alongside co-defendant Sidney Powell, is set to begin this week after the pair opted for a speedy trial. Jury selection gets underway on Friday.
Earlier in September, a Fulton County prosecutor indicated in court that they intended to extend deals to Chesebro and Powell ahead of trial.
"We'll sit down and kind of put some things together and we'll reach out to defense counsel individually to extend an offer," said prosecutor Nathan Wade when pressed by the judge.
Later that day, one of the 19 charged in the indictment became the first to accept a deal in the case. Scott Hall pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties in exchange for immunity and a fine, and agreed to testify against Trump and others.
In early October, ABC News reported that a number of the defendants in the Fulton County case had received plea deal offers or had been approached about potentially making a deal by the district attorney's office, multiple sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Trump and 18 others pleaded not guilty in 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.
The former president has blasted the district attorney's investigation as being politically motivated.
veryGood! (44)
Related
- 9/11 hearings at Guantanamo Bay in upheaval after surprise order by US defense chief
- Scuba divers rescued after 36 hours thanks to beacon spotted 15 miles off Texas coast
- Meet the trio of top Boston Red Sox prospects slugging their way to Fenway
- US gymnast Paul Juda came up big at Olympic qualifying. But 'coolest thing is yet to come'
- Olympic men's basketball bracket: Results of the 5x5 tournament
- Eiffel Tower glows on rainy night, but many fans can't see opening ceremony
- Watch this soldier's shocked grandparents scream with joy over his unexpected visit
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Mixtapes
- How effective is the Hyundai, Kia anti-theft software? New study offers insights.
- What to know about Simone Biles' husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens
Ranking
- Everything Simone Biles did at the Paris Olympics was amplified. She thrived in the spotlight
- Apple has reached its first-ever union contract with store employees in Maryland
- MLB trade deadline tracker 2024: Breaking down every deal before baseball's big day
- Fostering a kitten? A Californian university wants to hear from you
- Sonya Massey's family keeps eyes on 'full justice' one month after shooting
- Feds Contradict Scientific Research, Say the Salton Sea’s Exposed Lakebed Is Not a Significant Source of Pollution for Disadvantaged Communities
- Watch this soldier's shocked grandparents scream with joy over his unexpected visit
- Video shows small plane crashing into front yard of Utah home with family inside
Recommendation
The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
When is Olympic gymnastics balance beam final? What to know about Paris Games event
Body found in Phoenix warehouse 3 days after a storm partially collapsed the roof
Who Is Barron Trump? Get to Know Donald Trump and Melania Trump's 18-Year-Old Son
Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
Top Shoe Deals from Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2024: Up to 50% Off OluKai, Paige, Stuart Weitzman & More
Paris Olympics highlights: USA wins first gold medal, Katie Ledecky gets bronze Saturday
Why Olympian Jordan Chiles Almost Quit Gymnastics