The Fulton County Clerk of Courts Office has now conceded an error in prematurely posting an indictment against former President Trump on Monday, prior to a grand jury’s official vote to present charges against him and 18 others.
Speaking to local news source WSB-TV on Wednesday, Ché Alexander, Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts, admitted to making the mistake while facing pressure to ensure a smooth process for the indictments.
On Monday afternoon, the Fulton County Court’s website displayed a document listing the same charges later found in the official indictment released Monday night. These charges encompassed violations of the Georgia RICO Act (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer, conspiracy to commit filing false documents, and more.
Following Reuters’ initial report on the document, the Fulton County Court withdrew it from the website and issued a statement labeling the document “fictitious.” The statement cautioned media outlets, stating that documents lacking an official case number, filing date, and the Clerk of Courts’ name should not be treated as authentic filings.
“I am human,” Alexander expressed to the news outlet, detailing her intent to promptly disseminate the documents to the public. “That’s how the mishap occurred.”
Addressing the claim that District Attorney Fani Willis’ indictments carried a political motive, Alexander stated, “I had no vested interest in this. I created a trial document in the system, and upon saving it, it entered the press queue.”
She clarified, “The document was not official; it wasn’t the finalized charges. It was a practice run, a work sample.”
Regarding her choice of describing the document as “fictitious” in the subsequent statement, Alexander explained, “That was the most appropriate term I could think of. It was indeed fictitious. It lacked authenticity and proper certification.”
Amid the aftermath of the incident, Alexander shared that her office had received threats via calls and emails, motivating her to adopt a transparent approach by outlining the sequence of events.
