Former President Donald Trump's trial in Fulton County, Ga., is to be televised and live-streamed, the presiding judge said on Thursday. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said he will allow a YouTube stream, operated by the court, of all related hearings and trials stemming from the investigation into an alleged scheme to overturn the state's 2020 presidential election results, CBS News reports. Coverage for television, radio, and still photography will also be allowed, he said. The former president has pleaded not guilty in the case. After he and 18 others were indicted for allegedly participating in a"criminal enterprise", Trump surrendered last week at the Fulton County jail. Trump is charged with 13 felony counts. A date for his trial has not yet been set.
This would be the first time cameras would be allowed to capture full proceedings in one of the four criminal cases brought against Trump this year. Georgia allows cameras in the courtroom as long as they do not disrupt proceedings. In New York, cameras are typically not allowed in courtrooms. However, after news organizations asked for an exception, some photographers were allowed inside the courtroom for Trump's arraignment on New York state charges for a few minutes before the start of the hearing and then they had to leave. In New York, Trump is charged with allegedly falsifying business records related to "hush money" payments to conceal damaging information before the 2016 election. Cameras are also not permitted in federal court. Trump has been charged in two federal cases, one involving his handling of sensitive government documents after he left office, and the other related to his alleged attempt to stop the transfer of power after the 2020 presidential election. Trump has pleaded not guilty in each of those cases and has claimed the prosecutions are politically motivated.