A Georgia judge has made the decision to deny bail and refuse a court-appointed defense lawyer for Harrison Floyd, the former director of Black Voices for Trump. This means that Floyd will remain detained in one of America’s most dangerous jails while he awaits trial on allegations related to the 2020 election in Georgia.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge, Emily Richardson, made the ruling on Friday, making Floyd the only defendant among the 19 people charged in the Georgia Trump case to remain in jail. Judge Richardson stated that she believes there are grounds to deny bail and that Floyd is at risk of committing additional felonies and fleeing the jurisdiction. The pending case that was referenced is a misdemeanor assault charge against Floyd for a confrontation with two FBI agents who served him a grand jury summons earlier this year in Maryland.
Floyd voluntarily reported to the Fulton County Jail on Thursday to face charges of witness tampering, conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements, and violating Georgia’s racketeering law. He is accused of pressuring a Fulton County election worker to falsely admit that she stole votes from Trump.
During the hearing, Floyd argued that he is already on federal pretrial supervision and has had no issues with it. He claimed that he is not a flight risk and told Richardson, “There’s no way that I’m a flight risk, ma’am. I showed up before the president.” However, Richardson explained that full consideration of Floyd’s bond will be given when the case is taken up by the judge assigned to his case, Scott McAfee. She suggested that Floyd either find a way to hire an attorney or represent himself when McAfee takes over the case.
In the meantime, Floyd will be held in the Fulton County Jail, which has recently come under investigation by the US Department of Justice due to allegations of unsafe conditions. The jail has been operating at 120% capacity and over 91% of the inmates are awaiting trial. Violence within the facility, including stabbings and assaults on healthcare workers, as well as excessive force by jailers, has raised concerns about inmate safety.
Richardson’s ruling has caused outrage online, with some claiming that the court is sending a message to black people who support Trump. US Representative Burgess Owens criticized the decision, stating, “While Dems push cash bail for hardened criminals, Harrison Floyd sits in a jail cell with no bond. I guess the laws of equity don’t apply to black Trump supporters.”
Despite the denial of bail, financial assistance may be on the way for Floyd. An online crowdfunding campaign for his legal defense has raised over $180,000 as of Saturday afternoon. These funds may enable him to hire an attorney and potentially post bail if granted by the court.
It remains to be seen how Floyd’s case will unfold as he continues to be detained in the Fulton County Jail.
Source link
