Judge denies jail for Donald Trump co-defendant over social media posts
The judge in the Fulton County election racketeering case declined Tuesday to send a co-defendant of Donald Trump to jail over recent social media posts and other comments that targeted witnesses. Judge Scott McAfee stated that while the defendant, Harrison Floyd, made “technical violations” of his bond agreement, “not every violation compels revocation.” However, the judge modified Floyd’s bond agreement, placing a restriction on his social media activity. According to the modified bond agreement, Floyd is prohibited from making any social media posts “of any kind on any platform, whether public or private, concerning any codefendant or witness in this case or any person specifically named in the indictment.”
Fulton County prosecutors had sought to revoke Floyd’s bond, arguing that he has violated the terms of the agreement meant to keep him out of jail due to his alleged “effort to intimidate codefendants and witnesses.” “What we are really here to decide today is does this order mean something or not. He does not get an ‘oh, I’m sorry,’ after I’ve already intimidated the witnesses in this case,” stated Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Floyd, who has pleaded not guilty to three state felonies, was previously incarcerated before reaching a bail agreement and is the only defendant to have spent time in jail in connection with the case. The felonies Floyd faces are largely tied to his role in an intimidation campaign targeting two Atlanta election workers in late 2020. Floyd was also charged with simple assault of a federal officer in Washington, DC, which he has not entered a plea. His attorneys argue that the prosecutors’ attempt to jail him is in retaliation after rejecting a plea deal offer. They draw comparisons to Trump’s public comments about the case, questioning the prosecutor’s double standard.
This move suggests that Floyd faces a significant threat of intimidating witnesses and obstructing justice in the future. Witnesses in the case took precautions, including relocating from their homes due to potential threats from Floyd’s online activity. This case confirms a tension that exists between the need to rest opposition and the proper role of the democratic process in upholding the balance of law and justice.
