Georgia Judge Orders Two Separate Trials for Defendants in Election Case

A judge on Thursday granted former President Donald J. Trump and 16 others a separate trial from two of their co-defendants, who will go to trial next month in the Georgia election interference case.

The judge, Scott McAfee of Fulton County Superior Court, has laid out an expedited trial schedule for Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, two lawyers who aided Mr. Trump in his efforts to stay in power after losing the 2020 election. The two had invoked their right under Georgia law to seek a speedy trial, in part to avoid the high cost of a more protracted legal fight. Their trial is set to begin on Oct. 23.

All 19 defendants were charged in August in a sprawling racketeering case after a two-and-a-half-year investigation into election interference in the state. Several have filed to move the case to federal court, but those prospects were dimmed after a federal judge rejected a removal request from the first defendant to file one, Mark Meadows, the former White House chief of staff. He has appealed the ruling.

Judge McAfee, in his order, said that the court “will endeavor to have a jury selected and sworn by Nov. 3, 2023” for Mr. Chesebro and Ms. Powell, which means that opening statements could be underway in a matter of weeks.