Patrick Labat, the Fulton County Sheriff, recently shared insights about former President Donald Trump’s demeanor during his surrender at the Fulton County Jail. Labat described Trump as “stoic” and cooperative during the process, which involved taking his mug shot and fingerprints. Labat expressed his discomfort at witnessing someone of Trump’s stature undergo the booking procedure, including capturing Trump’s now widely-circulated mugshot.
Labat promised Trump would be treated like any other arrestee. That included the mugshot that Trump later reposted to X (formerly known as Twitter). The image went viral, and Trump managed to turn his Georgia mugshot into a record-breaking fundraising haul. Following Trump’s arrest, his campaign started selling merchandise featuring his mugshot, including shirts, posters, bumper stickers, and beverage coolers. The items bear the tagline “NEVER SURRENDER!”
Labat’s comments came in the context of the significant case led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, based on Georgia’s racketeering statute. Trump, along with 18 other co-defendants, is accused of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results. A number of notable figures are included in this group, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows (former White House Chief of Staff), and attorneys Sidney Powell and Jena Ellis, among others. All of them have pleaded not guilty. Some have sought to shift their cases to federal court, while others, including Trump, have requested separate trials.
District Attorney Willis had previously announced her intention to try all the defendants collectively, but the extensive nature of the indictment makes this challenging. The case’s complexity was highlighted by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who expressed skepticism about the feasibility of trying all 19 defendants together in a short timeframe.
Further complications arose from attempts by some defendants to transfer their cases to federal jurisdiction. For instance, a bid by Meadows to move his case to federal court was recently denied. U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones ruled that Meadows’ actions, which led to the state’s prosecution, were unrelated to his official duties as White House Chief of Staff.
Moreover, the full Fulton County grand jury report was recently disclosed, suggesting charges against other individuals, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, retired Lt. Gen Michael Flynn, and former Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. However, DA Willis chose not to press charges against them. Both Graham and Loeffler have publicly defended their actions, with Graham emphasizing his role in ensuring election integrity and Loeffler highlighting her advocacy for those questioning the fairness of the 2020 election.