Trump claiming he was 'tortured' in Fulton County Jail after arrest

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ATLANTA - Former President Donald Trump has claimed in a fundraising email that he was "tortured" in the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta after his arrest for interfering in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

Torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions. – United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

Trump and 18 of his supporters were indicted by a grand jury in August 2023 after a 2-1/2 year investigation by the Fulton County District Attorney's Office. Before his surrender, Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat said Trump and his co-defendants would be treated like anyone else.

Dozens of Trump's supporters, a few demonstrators, and members of the media waited for Trump outside the jail on the day of his arrest. Upon arrival, Trump was booked, fingerprinted, and photographed. The process took about 15 minutes, and the former president left just as quickly. He was only on the ground in Georgia for approximately one hour.

Before Trump's plane had crossed North Carolina after his arrest, his mug shot was already being used to solicit contributions.

Donald Trump mug shot (Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Since then, Trump has used the mug shot on various merchandise, including coffee mugs, T-shirts, koozies, and bumper stickers. An email sent out in May pushed to sell more of the "limited edition" coffee mugs.

Trump initially faced 13 counts in Georgia but is now only facing 10 after some counts were dismissed. The case has been temporarily put on hold for Trump and some defendants while the Georgia Court of Appeals considers an appeal related to the disqualification motions filed against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who was involved in a relationship with former special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

The appellate court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on Oct. 4. They are not required to issue a ruling until mid-March 2025, ensuring that Trump will not go on trial in Georgia before the election.

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Trump and President Joe Biden are expected in Atlanta on Thursday for a debate hosted by CNN. It is the first presidential debate of the 2024 campaign. There will not be an audience in attendance, and several rules have been put in place for the debate, which is scheduled to start at 9 p.m.

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Trump was convicted in New York City last month of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. He has also been found liable for sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll and for inflating his property values in order to secure favorable loans. He is currently facing more than $500 million in civil judgments.