Online Threats Investigated Against Jurors in Trump Indictment Case
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office in Atlanta, Georgia, is currently investigating online threats made against the grand jurors who voted to indict former President Donald J. Trump and 18 others. The indictment accuses them of conspiring to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. The jurors’ names were listed early in the 98-page indictment, as required in Georgia, which sets the state apart from federal and state court systems.
Following the release of the indictment, some individuals took to social media to scrutinize the jurors’ identities and share their personal details, including their faces, social media profiles, and possible addresses and phone numbers. There were suggestions that the jurors should be harassed or made “infamous.” It remains unclear whether anyone has acted on these suggestions.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office released a statement acknowledging the online threats against the grand jurors and stated that they are working with other agencies to track down the origin of these threats. However, they did not provide any information on whether any jurors have reported harassment.
This is not the first time that prosecutions involving Mr. Trump have resulted in threats. Earlier this month, a Texas woman was charged with threatening to kill Tanya S. Chutkan, the judge in Washington overseeing the federal election interference case against the former president.
The grand jurors in the Georgia case were drawn from across Fulton County, where District Attorney Fani T. Willis spent two and a half years investigating actions by Mr. Trump and his allies following the 2020 election. On Monday, she presented evidence to the jury, and an indictment required the approval of twelve out of the twenty-three jurors.
The release of the jurors’ names has raised concerns about their safety and privacy. Some social media platforms, including Truth Social, founded by Mr. Trump, have seen users reposting the names and calling for the jurors to be made “infamous” and unable to walk down the street. Media Matters, a liberal nonprofit organization, collected messages from an online board that included threats of violence against the jurors, referring to the list of names and addresses as a “hit list.”
Georgia’s practice of making grand jurors’ names public is fairly unusual, according to legal experts. This openness increases the risk of harassment, particularly in cases involving gangs and organized crime. In contrast, prosecutors in New York State and the federal system take measures to keep grand jurors’ names secret, often referring to them by number during proceedings.
The release of jurors’ names in Georgia serves the purpose of providing defense lawyers with a glimpse into the proceedings, allowing them to check for any potential biases or disqualifications. However, unlike in New York, Georgia does not keep records or transcripts of grand jury proceedings, making it challenging to challenge the grand jury’s decision.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office has increased security outside the courthouse in response to the threats. The investigation into the online threats against the grand jurors is ongoing.
Have any of the jurors reported facing harassment as a result of their involvement in the case against former President Donald J. Trump and 18 others
The investigation into online threats against the grand jurors involved in the indictment of former President Donald J. Trump and 18 others is currently underway by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office in Atlanta, Georgia. The indictment accuses them of conspiring to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. Unlike federal and state court systems, Georgia law necessitates the disclosure of the jurors’ names, which were listed early in the 98-page indictment.
After the indictment was released, some individuals took to social media platforms to expose the jurors’ identities and share personal information such as their pictures, social media profiles, and potential addresses and phone numbers. There were even suggestions that the jurors should face harassment or reputational damage. It is unclear whether any of these suggestions have been acted upon.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office has acknowledged the online threats against the grand jurors and confirmed that they are collaborating with other agencies to track down the source of these threats. However, they have not provided any details regarding whether the jurors have reported any harassment.
This is not the first instance where prosecutions involving Mr. Trump have led to threats. Notably, a Texas woman was charged earlier this month for threatening to kill Tanya S. Ch, a lawyer connected to the case against Mr. Trump.
This is a disturbing reminder of how toxic and polarized our society has become, especially when it comes to politics. The safety of grand jurors should never be compromised, regardless of the outcome of any indictment.