Floyd, prosecutors allege, engaged in a ‘pattern of intimidation’ towards co-defendants and witnesses.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis made her first appearance in the Georgia election interference case which her office is prosecuting, presenting an argument to revoke bond for Harrison Floyd. Floyd is a leader of the political group Black Voices for Trump. He was one of the 19 defendants indicted in 2023 in Fulton County, Georgia.
Floyd, prosecutors allege, engaged in a “pattern of intimidation” towards co-defendants and witnesses.
According to ABC News, Willis told Judge Scott McAfee “The state is requesting — so that there’s no mistake as to what we’re asking for — that his bond be revoked and he be remanded back into custody.”
Judge Scott McAfee rules that “there has been a technical violation of Mr. Floyd’s bond…but not every violation compels revocation.” The judge says Harrison Floyd’s bond order needs to be modified to be more specific and asks the DA and defense to submit ideas. pic.twitter.com/872VboevZ6
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) November 21, 2023
His attorney defined Floyd’s comments as political speech, saying, “This is political speech your honor. And they’re trying to silence it.”
Willis declared her office’s intent to call three witnesses during the course of the hearing, including Gabriel Sterling, an election official whom Floyd allegedly threatened.
Willis also told the judge, “What we are really here to decide today is does this order mean something or not. He does not get an ‘oh, I’m sorry,’ after I’ve already intimidated the witnesses in this case,” Willis said. “It is too late.”
According to CNN, McAfee ultimately decided that Floyd’s remarks did not deserve a bond revocation, remarking that though he made “technical violations” of his bond agreement, “not every violation compels revocation.”
Floyd would have been the first participant in the case to be jailed for his actions relating to the case, which, according to CNN, would have delivered a message to the rest of the defendants that the prosecution was monitoring them closely. Floyd previously was behind bars in the Fulton County Jail for a week back in August before ultimately reaching a bond agreement with prosecutors.
Willis was not pleased with the choice of the judge to allow Floyd to skirt the rules of his agreement, telling CNN, “He was given an opportunity to cooperate with the rules of this case and what he really did was spit on the court and refuse to oblige by three of the seven conditions of this bond order.”
Michael Hill, an assistant chief investigator in Fulton County, read aloud the posts from Floyd directed at the witnesses Willis will be calling. Sometimes, he had to translate internet speak to preserve the legal decorum. Hill read one post, saying, “The content is as follows: ‘Black American Dems want the ‘Black Trump Guy’ to tell on the ‘RACIST WHITE REPUBLICANS’ but only if it’s President Trump? Lol, look, the truth is that @GASecofState and @GabrielSterling are the pieces of’ – and it’s a …”
Willis interrupted Hill, instructing him to spell out the emoji, before he continued. “Yes, ma’am. It’s an emoji of poop or fecal matter emoji,” Hill said. “’They are the pieces of – that emoji – you should be mad at.’”
Sterling, whom Willis called to testify, said that he doesn’t feel threatened by the remarks of Floyd, saying, “It’s par for the course when you’re a public figure.”
However, another witness, Von DuBose, a representative of Ruby Freeman, another witness in the case, says that the remarks concerning DuBose’s client created concern.
DuBose said the posts concerning Freeman led to a rise in attacks against her online, which prompted her to relocate. DuBose also said the attacks constitute a beginning to potential threats to Freeman, saying they have caused the creation of additional security protocols to ensure her safety.
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