https://www.myjoyonline.com/historic-trump-mugshot-released-in-georgia-arrest-for-election-plot-case/-------https://www.myjoyonline.com/historic-trump-mugshot-released-in-georgia-arrest-for-election-plot-case/

Donald Trump has surrendered in Georgia on charges of plotting to overturn the state's 2020 election results in an arrest that saw the first-ever mugshot of a former US president.

Mr Trump had to pay a bail bond of $200,000 (£157,000) to be released from the Atlanta jail while he awaits trial.

Afterwards, he described the case as "a travesty of justice".

It was his fourth arrest in five months in a criminal case, but this was his first police booking photo.

Donald Trump's mugshot (FULTON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE)

Mr Trump later posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, for the first time since January 2021. He shared the address of his website and the mugshot with an all-capital letters caption: "Election interference. Never surrender!"

He joins the ranks of American public figures who have had arrest booking photos taken by police, including Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Al Capone and Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

Mr Trump argues the cases against him are politically motivated because he is leading the Republican race to challenge President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in next year's presidential election.

The first former or serving US president ever to be indicted, he made the round trip from New Jersey on his private jet for the arrest on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Trump was whisked him to Fulton County Jail by a more substantial motorcade than he has used for previous court appearances this year.

Supporters of former President Donald Trump gather outside Fulton County Jail ahead of Trump's surrender on 24 August 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Getty Images

He was inside the facility for around 20 minutes. Dozens of his supporters gathered outside.

Records posted on the jail's website described Mr Trump as a white male, 6ft 3in, and weighing 215lbs (97kg), with blond or strawberry hair and blue eyes. His inmate number was P01135809.

Before heading home he told reporters at the airport that he was entitled to challenge an election result.

"I thought the election was a rigged election, a stolen election," said Mr Trump, who often makes unfounded claims of widespread ballot fraud in 2020. "And I should have every right to do that.

Protestor Laurie Arbeiter waves signs outside of the Fulton County Jail ahead of former President Donald Trump's surrender on 24 August2023 in Atlanta, Georgia
Getty Images

"As you know, you have many people that you've been watching over the years do the same thing, whether it's Hillary Clinton or [former candidate for Georgia governor] Stacey Abrams, or many others."

Mr Trump was charged last week alongside 18 co-defendants with meddling in Georgia's election results following his loss to Mr Biden by fewer than 12,000 votes in that state.

The former president was heard in a phone call pressuring Georgia's top election official to "find 11,780 votes" during the ballot count.

Among the 13 charges Mr Trump faces are racketeering, soliciting a public official to violate his oath of office, conspiracy to impersonate a public officer, conspiracy to commit forgery and making false statements.

He denies all the counts against him.

Half of his co-accused have already been booked at Fulton County Jail in recent days ahead of Friday's deadline. They include former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

From clockwise: Ray Smith, Cathy Latham, Rudy Giuliani, Kenneth Chesebro, Harrison Floyd, Sidney Powell, Mark Meadows, Jenna Ellis
From clockwise: Ray Smith, Cathy Latham, Rudy Giuliani, Kenneth Chesebro, Harrison Floyd, Sidney Powell, Mark Meadows, Jenna Ellis
FULTON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

One of Mr Trump's co-defendants, the leader of Black Voices for Trump, Harrison Floyd, is being held in custody after turning himself in on Thursday without a bail agreement, court officials say.

A Georgia judge granted a speedy trial request to another co-defendant in the case, attorney Kenneth Chesebro. His docket is now due to begin on 23 October.

Just hours before his surrender on Thursday Mr Trump replaced his leading defence lawyer, Drew Findling, with veteran Atlanta criminal defence attorney Steven Sadow.

One of the conditions of Mr Trump's bail release is that he refrain from any comments, on social media or otherwise, that are intended to "intimidate" witnesses or co-defendants. He is also not allowed to have any communication with the other co-defendants, except through his lawyers.

Marsha and Cathy, supporters of former US President Donald Trump, rest in a shade near the entrance of the Fulton County Jail
Trump supporters Marsha and Cathy outside Fulton County Jail (Reuters)

Before arriving in Georgia, Mr Trump continued to criticise the prosecutor bringing the charges, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, a Democrat, who he accuses of trying to sabotage his White House campaign.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, he blamed Ms Willis for murder and violent crime in Atlanta, writing that "people are afraid to go outside to buy a loaf of bread".

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.


DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.