In the ongoing racketeering case in Georgia involving former President Donald Trump and his associates, one defendant, Trevian Kutti, is now without legal representation after her attorneys withdrew due to nonpayment and lack of cooperation. Kutti, a former publicist for celebrities such as Kanye West, is one of more than a dozen defendants accused of conspiring to reverse Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral win in Georgia.
She is specifically accused of working with Black Voices for Trump activist Harrison Floyd and pastor Stephen Cliffgard Lee to pressure Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss, into making false statements about the way votes had been processed.
The women became targets after longtime Trump ally Rudy Giuliani falsely accused them of “stealing votes” at State Farm Arena in November 2020, and a federal jury determined that he now owes them $148 million in damages.
As Law&Crime previously reported, lawyers for Trevian Kutti, a one-time publicist for the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, now charged alongside the former president, filed a motion to withdraw as counsel in December.
At a hearing on Friday, Kutti told Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee that she is in the process of trying to find a way to afford to bring one of her now-former attorneys, Steve Greenberg, back to the case.
“I will be attempting to, one, retain one of the lawyers that is on this call, and, number two, seek additional counsel,” said Kutti, who appeared via video.
McAfee said he was confused, as Greenberg is one of the attorneys who filed to withdraw from representation.
Greenberg, who once represented famed R&B singer and convicted sex offender R. Kelly in a New York federal case, indicated that his representation of Kutti started as a personal favor, but things didn’t go as expected.
“I have known Ms. Kutti for a long time, and when this first came up, even before the indictment, I said I would help her out,” Greenberg said. “She had the belief that people were going to be able to assist her in meeting what I perceive to be fairly minimal professional obligations, given the scope of the work. Unfortunately, those people did not assist her. So if, at some point in the future, she has the ability to have private counsel, I would be willing to assist her.”
Kutti’s intention to rehire Greenberg was made clear by the judge, who stated that any new attorney joining the case shortly before trial and seeking a continuance is unlikely to be granted that request. Kutti is facing serious charges, including working with others to pressure Georgia election workers into making false statements about vote processing.
Furthermore, Kutti’s freedom may be in jeopardy as her bond agreement is being scrutinized due to remarks made on an Instagram Live that could have violated the terms of her bond. Greenberg later defended these comments, stating, “People have the right even when they are out on bond to comment on their cases.”
Greenberg added that because prosecutors anticipate at least a four-month trial, “I simply cannot help her as a friend.”
The case against Kutti and her co-defendants is part of a broader investigation into alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Four defendants in the case have already admitted guilt, including attorneys Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell, accused “coup memo” co-author Kenneth Chesebro, and bail bondsman Scott Hall.
Kutti allegedly approached Fulton County election worker Ruby Freeman, falsely claiming to be a “crisis manager” sent by a high-profile individual, which led to a monitored conversation at a local police precinct. Body camera footage from this interaction shows Kutti’s unsettling remarks to Freeman.
As Kutti’s legal struggles continue, the broader RICO case also faces significant logistical hurdles. With a voluminous list of defendants and charges, the court is working to ensure fair and efficient proceedings. This includes separating the trials of two defendants, Chesebro and Powell, from the others, as ruled by Judge McAfee due to space and resource limitations within the courthouse.
Relevant articles:
– Attorneys bail on defendant in Trump RICO case accused of targeting Georgia election workers
– Trump Co-Defendant Loses Lawyer After Reportedly Not Paying Him
– Fulton 19 update: Juror screening nears in Trump RICO case, Coffee emails, DA spars with House Rep
– Fulton County judge rules all 19 defendants in Trump RICO case cannot be tried together