Cameras Allowed in Courtroom for Arraignments in Former President Trump’s Georgia Case

The state judge overseeing former President Trump’s Georgia case has ruled that cameras will be allowed in the courtroom for the defendants’ arraignments. This marks the first time that one of Trump’s criminal proceedings will be televised. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee granted a request from four local television stations to bring in live cameras and other recording devices in his courtroom through September 8. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is seeking to hold the arraignments for all the defendants the week following Labor Day, falling within the approved window. However, if the timeline is delayed, McAfee’s order would expire. It is important to note that McAfee’s order does not indicate whether cameras will be allowed during a trial or any other future proceedings in the case.

Last week, Willis charged Trump and 18 co-defendants over their alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. Willis has given a Friday deadline for the defendants to surrender, although the surrender process is being conducted at the Fulton County Jail, separate from any arraignments. Trump has stated that he will surrender on Thursday. It is worth mentioning that cameras have been barred from all of the proceedings in Trump’s other three criminal cases so far. Federal courts generally do not allow video or audio recordings of proceedings, as they have done in Trump’s cases. In a previous New York state court arraignment related to a hush money payment, the judge denied a request from media outlets to have video cameras in the room but allowed still photographers for a brief period before the arraignment began.

In Fulton County, cameras inside courtrooms are common, which could potentially provide unprecedented public access to one of the most high-profile trials in U.S. history.