RICO case against "Stop Cop City" activists back in court
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The sweeping racketeering case against activists opposed to Atlanta's public safety training center returns to the courtroom after months of slow-moving progress.
Driving the news: At 9:30am, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kevin Farmer will conduct his first hearing in the trial of defendants accused of violating Georgia's RICO Act, among other charges.
- Activists are urging supporters to attend a rally outside the courthouse during and after the hearing to "show the state, the judge, and the ATL61 that there are eyes on this case and we support them."
Catch up quick: In September 2023, a Fulton grand jury indicted 61 people on various charges, including domestic terrorism, vandalism and racketeering.
- One year later, the state dropped money laundering charges against three residents who operate the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, a charity that pays bail and provides legal defense to protesters.
Zoom in: Supporters of the ATL61 argue the state's case was designed to halt the movement and muzzle supporters who wanted Atlanta to cancel work on the 85-acre, $118 million police and firefighting academy.
Context: Experts believe the trial is the largest racketeering case against protestors in U.S. history, the Associated Press reports.
- Defendants were supposed to go to trial last year but the case dragged on due to procedural questions and logistical complexities.
- This delay has also put the defendants' lives in limbo, according to the AP.
- "Let's get this over with," said Priscilla Grim, who's accused of vandalizing the construction site during a music festival. "If you think you have something on me, let's do it — which you don't."