Georgia election case live updates: 5 more defendants surrender to authorities

Former President Donald Trump, one of 19 defendants charged by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for their alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, was processed and released from Fulton County Jail in Atlanta Thursday night.

The remaining 18 defendants in the case are in the process of surrendering to authorities prior to Friday's noon deadline, while some mount legal challenges.

Defendant John Eastman, who faces nine counts in the DA's indictment, said Trump's surrender to authorities Thursday was "a crossing of the Rubicon in our system of justice."

Speaking last night outside the California Bar Court where he is fighting disbarment, the former Trump attorney said he will mount a strong defense to the DA's case.

"We have very viable legal defenses and constitutional defenses," said Eastman, who was processed and released from Fulton County Jail Wednesday.

Eastman, who is accused of drafting a plan for Trump to cling to power by falsely claiming then-Vice President Mike Pence could reject legitimate electors during the Jan. 6 certification of the vote, has indicated that he will seek to sever his case from the other defendants.