CNN Legal Analyst Declares Trump’s Georgia Criminal Trial ‘Over

CNN’s top legal expert, Elie Honig, has raised significant doubts about the continuation of the criminal charges against former President Donald Trump in Georgia. These charges stem from his alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Honig's comments follow a recent decision by a Georgia appellate court to halt the case.

“It’s over. Let’s be realistic. It’s not happening before the 2024 election. It’s not happening in 2024. It’s maybe not happening at all,” Honig stated. He highlighted the appellate court's unexpected choice to take up the case and their decision to pause the district court proceedings as indicators of the appeal's seriousness. “The appeals court said no, no, no, pause that, too. So, that tells me that they are taking this appeal very seriously. And if Trump and the defendants prevail in this appeal, this case is essentially toast.”

Honig pointed out that the original trial court judge intended to proceed with the case while the appeal was being considered, a plan now halted by the appellate court's intervention. This pause implies the appellate court is giving considerable weight to the appeal.

If the case is dismissed, it could lead to former Trump officials who pled guilty reconsidering their pleas. Honig noted, “There is a separate issue that Trump and the other defendants are going to raise that I think is a bigger deal, which is Fani Willis’ inappropriate comments about the case outside of court. Judge McAfee found those comments to be, quote, ‘legally improper,’ and then he did nothing about it.”

The defense is expected to argue that these improper statements by the prosecutor impaired the constitutional rights of the defendants, potentially providing grounds for dismissal.

As the appellate court deliberates, the future of this high-profile case remains uncertain, with significant implications for all involved.

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