A Fulton County, Georgia judge has set bail at $ 200,000, for former President Donald Trump, in the new election interference case against him. The judge also attached specific conditions prohibiting Mr. Trump from intimidating or threatening any witnesses, or any of his 18 co-defendants in the case. The judge also prohibited Mr. Trump from having any contact with his co-defendants, except through his lawyers. These are standard conditions often applied in criminal cases. Defendants are typically required to post ten-percent of the set bail amount with the court. The purpose of bail is three-fold: 1) to insure the appearance of the defendant at all court proceedings; 2) to insure to orderly administration of justice; and, 3) to insure the safety of the public. It is likely that the chief concern in this case is the orderly administration of justice, since Mr. Trump has made attacks upon the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia.
The Pressure to Plead Guilty in the College Admissions Case
For any defendant facing federal charges, the pressure to plead guilty is very strong. There are two main reasons for this: 1) the extreme financial burden of going to trial with a private lawyer; and 2) the long sentence that waits those who lose at trial. So when...
