Sheriff Recalls How Taking Trump's Infamous Mugshot Left Him Fearing For His Life: "My Family's Life..."

In a recent BBC documentary that aired on October 23, Trump on Trial: Prosecuting a President, sheriff Pat Labat, recounted his experience of processing former U.S. President Donald Trump at the Fulton County Jail. Trump’s mugshot, taken in 2023 as a part of his Georgia indictment related to alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, led to Labat's family being 'threatened.'

Reflecting on the historic booking, Labat detailed his inner dilemma, “I was out here by myself, literally pacing around,” as he was uncertain whether to proceed with the typical booking process for a former president. “I still, at this point, had not decided if I was gonna take his mugshot, and so there was a lot going through my mind,” Labat shared.

He continued, “Do you fingerprint? Do you take a mugshot of a former sitting president? The highest office in the free world. Do you treat him differently?” Ultimately, the sheriff decided to maintain standard procedure. He explained, “Of course, I landed on the side of you don’t. You treat him like everybody else.” The sheriff showed filmmakers the grey backdrop mounted on the jail wall, which was used as the setting for Trump's now-famous mugshot.

He further disclosed that the decision led to serious backlash. “I received some interesting feedback,” he recounted. “Had my life threatened; had my family’s life threatened for taking a mugshot.” Labat’s experience, he observed, brought out “both the best and the worst of what society has to offer.” Additionally, he recounted how Trump entered the jail. “He came here, and at this point, all that you see on TV, all of the bravado that comes along with that…there was none of that. It was a solemn moment. The highest-ranking official in the free world having to go through this."

In a 2023 interview with CNN, Labat also disclosed that the bond paperwork was taken to Trump's motorcade to "get him in and off the premises as quickly as possible." The sheriff also noted how 'eerily quiet' and 'heartbreaking' the entire scene was. “Having been in law enforcement for 32 years, having been in a jail environment equally as long, it was eerily quiet when you have that many security protocols in place,” he said.

The mugshot quickly went viral, circulating globally across media outlets and social media platforms. Almost immediately after it was made public, Trump posted it on Truth Social, X, and his campaign website, where visitors were urged to donate, according to the Independent. His team quickly capitalized on the image by launching a line of merchandise, including t-shirts and mugs featuring the same. Don Jr. also promoted the items on X, assuring buyers that 'all proceeds' would support his father’s legal defense.