Breakdown: The Trump Indictment
True crime investigations from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Veteran legal affairs journalist Bill Rankin takes you inside the courtroom to break down the story and the criminal justice system. This award-winning series investigates Georgia’s most important cases with fact-based reporting. Season 10 will focus on the historic indictment of former President Donald Trump in Fulton County, Georgia, led by District Attorney Fani Willis. Co-hosted by senior reporter Tamar Hallerman and editor Shannon McCaffrey. Learn more about our reporting at ajc.com/breakdown.
Episodes
April 11, 2024 • 23 mins
The latest episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast focuses on a First Amendment challenge by former President Donald Trump’s lead attorney.
Lawyer Steve Sadow argues at a hearing that Trump should not be prosecuted for core political speech. Fulton County prosecutor Donald Wakeford counters that the former president is not being prosecuted just for what he said, but for engaging in a pattern of criminal cond...
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March 29, 2024 • 31 mins
The most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast answers several questions from listeners.
A possible trial date, the ongoing appeal and a potential replacement for former special prosecutor Nathan Wade are among the topics of discussion. Episode 37 – “Your Burning Questions” – of Breakdown’s Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” – also considers the presidential immunity claims being pursued in Washingt...
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March 26, 2024 • 44 mins
The lawyer who filed the motion to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis sits for an interview for Breakdown.
Attorney Ashleigh Merchant explains her motivations for filing the motion and gives her reactions to Willis’ surprise testimony at the evidentiary hearing. Episode 36 – “Merchant Speaks Out” – is the most recent installment of Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” – of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakd...
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March 16, 2024 • 23 mins
The most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast covers Judge Scott McAfee’s decision as to whether District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified from the election interference case.
McAfee, in a 23-page order, didn’t decide the issue. Instead, the judge left it up to the district attorney to decide which course to take. And McAfee had a harsh assessment of Willis’ and special prosecutor Nathan...
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March 11, 2024 • 42 mins
Breakdown’s last episode covered the highlights of the closing arguments made by the defense and prosecution as to why Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should or should not be removed from the election interference case.
In Episode 34 – “The Cases for Keeping or Disqualifying” – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast lets two legal experts – Norm Eisen and Andrew Fleischman -- give their own closings as to ...
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March 7, 2024 • 47 mins
A showdown of closing arguments as to whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should or should not be disqualified from the election interference case is the focus of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s most recent Breakdown podcast.
Episode 33 – “The Closings” – of Breakdown’s 10th season – “The Trump Indictment” – sets up what could be a seminal moment in the case against former President Donald Trump and 14 remaining ...
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February 29, 2024 • 30 mins
The former law partner and divorce lawyer of special prosecutor Nathan Wade takes the witness stand once again after the judge finds he can talk about what he learned about Wade’s and District Attorney Fani Willis’ romantic relationship.
But attorney Terrence Bradley doesn’t say what defense attorneys in the election interference case want to hear. So Episode 32 – “No Star Witness” – of Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” – of The A...
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February 23, 2024 • 57 mins
The most recent Breakdown episode by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution dissects the recent evidentiary hearing on the motion to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office from the election interference case.
The hearing has enough twists and turns to be an episode of a telenovela. Episode 31 – “Under The Microscope” – of Breakdown’s Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” – includes testimony from Willis, speci...
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February 16, 2024 • 24 mins
With the future of Fulton County’s election interference case on the line, District Attorney Fani Willis took the stand to fight back against misconduct allegations.
Defiant, emotional, angry and sometimes even funny, Willis’ testimony was both remarkable and surprising as she pushed back against accusations that could disqualify her and her office from prosecuting former President Donald Trump and his 14 remaining codefendants.
Th...
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February 14, 2024 • 20 mins
The judge overseeing the election interference case against former President Donald Trump and 14 others has cleared the way for what could be an explosive hearing focusing on the personal relationship between the district attorney and her special prosecutor.
The most recent episode – “Setting the Table” – of Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast sets up the upcoming evidentiary h...
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February 8, 2024 • 31 mins
The accusations against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis continue to get increasingly personal in nature since her acknowledgment of her relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.
The latest episode of Season 10 – “The Trump Indictment” – of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast covers more motions that call for Willis’ disqualification from the election interference case against former President Do...
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February 5, 2024 • 25 mins
The most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast covers the highly anticipated response by the District Attorney’s Office to allegations DA Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade were having an improper romantic relationship.
The court filing is at times pointed and blistering and it is highly critical and dismissive of the motion to disqualify Willis and her office from prosecuting the case a...
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February 2, 2024 • 33 mins
The most recent episode of Breakdown covers developments inside and outside of court in the election interference case against former President Donald Trump and 14 remaining co-defendants. And the motion to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis because of her alleged inappropriate romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade continues to loom over the case.
Episode 26 – “Piling On” – of Season 10 – “The Trump Indict...
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January 25, 2024 • 39 mins
A hearing on a motion to prevent Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from giving a sworn deposition in the divorce case involving special prosecutor Nathan Wade is a focus of the most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast.
Cobb County Superior Court Judge Henry Thompson convenes an emergency hearing on the request and also considers a motion to unseal Wade’s divorce file.
The 25th episode – ...
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January 19, 2024 • 33 mins
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis gives an impassioned and defiant speech before a congregation at the historic Big Bethel AME Church, defending the man a court motion contends is involved in an improper, romantic relationship with the DA.
Willis’ response to the bombshell allegations is the focus of the most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast. Episode 24 – “Firing Back From The Pulpit”...
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January 11, 2024 • 24 mins
The allegations are salacious: arguably the most famous district attorney in the country hired her romantic partner to help prosecute a former president and then profited from the arrangement.
An eye-popping, explosive court motion filed on behalf of one of Donald Trump’s lesser-known defendants is the focus of the most recent episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast.
Episode 23 – “Bombshell Allegations” – of...
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December 21, 2023 • 40 mins
Are single-sentence apology letters a sign of true remorse?
The latest episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast explores the meaning of apology letters written by three of the four defendants who have pleaded guilty in the Fulton County election interference case against former President Donald Trump and others.
The apology letters were a condition imposed by District Attorney Fani Willis for the plea deals. ...
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December 14, 2023 • 47 mins
This episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Breakdown podcast includes a wide-ranging interview with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Willis shares her thoughts on many aspects of the election interference case against former President Donald Trump and others. She also opens up about her possible political aspirations after serving as Fulton’s DA.
Episode 21 – “A Conversation With DA Willis” – of Breakdown’s ...
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December 6, 2023 • 34 mins
This episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Breakdown” podcast focuses on the interaction between the judge, Donald Trump’s attorney and the prosecution over the possibility of the trial being held next August.
Trump’s attorney, Steve Sadow, making his courtroom debut, contends having the trial at that time would constitute election interference. Special prosecutor Nathan Wade disagrees. And Superior Court Judge Scott McAfe...
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November 29, 2023 • 25 mins
Fani Willis makes a fiery courtroom debut in the latest episode of "Breakdown: The Trump Indictment." In episode 19, "Walking the Line," we'll take you inside the Fulton County courthouse to hear Willis argue that bond should be revoked for a Donald Trump co-defendant who had been repeatedly attacking potential witnesses on social media.
Harrison Floyd has been one of the most combative defendants in the case, and his lawyers argu...
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