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(ATLANTA) -- The emotional, week-long public goodbye to former President Jimmy Carter is underway.

Carter's body was transferred from his hometown of Plains, Georgia, to Atlanta on Saturday. The former president, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100, will remain in Atlanta through Tuesday.

Carter to remain in Atlanta through Tuesday

Former President Jimmy Carter will lie in repose at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta through Tuesday.

Mourners can pay their respects at the center from 7 p.m. Saturday until 6 a.m. Tuesday.

He will be transported to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday morning. A service will be held at the Capitol on Tuesday afternoon and the late president will lie in state at the Capitol on Wednesday.

On Thursday morning, dignitaries will gather in D.C. for Carter’s state funeral at Washington National Cathedral. President Joe Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy.

On Thursday afternoon, Carter will return to his hometown of Plains, Georgia, for a private service and private interment.

'The two of them together changed the world'

Former President Jimmy Carter's son Chip Carter thanked his parents for their service and sacrifice at Saturday's service at the Carter Presidential Center.

"The two of them together changed the world," he said, overcome with emotion.

Chip Carter called out the caregivers who cared for his father in the last years of his life, including one caregiver attending Saturday's service who spent 6 years working for the former president.

"They are the people that helped keep him alive and comfortable and fed and cleaned," Chip Carter said. "It was amazing, what they did for us."

He also shared memories from his childhood.

Chip Carter said when he failed Latin, his dad spent Christmas break learning Latin and teaching it to him. Chip Carter said when he returned to school, he asked to re-take the test and got an A.

'His legacy will live on,' grandson says

At a service at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, former President Jimmy Carter’s grandson Jason Carter said the family has been planning for this day for a while, but it’s still difficult.

To the Carter Center employees, he said, "While we mourn my grandfather’s passing, I know in my heart -- and you all do -- that his legacy will live on not only because of the millions of people he touched across the globe," but because of the tireless work of the Carter Center employees.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter founded the Carter Center after his presidency to improve health around the world and enhance freedom and democracy.

Hearse arrives at Carter Presidential Center

Former President Jimmy Carter’s motorcade has arrived at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta for a 4 p.m. service.

"Hail to the Chief" and “America the Beautiful” were played as his coffin was brought to the building, with the Carter family looking on.

Carter’s son Chip Carter and grandson Jason Carter are expected to speak.

President Carter is survived by four children -- John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff) and Amy Lynn -- and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, died on Nov. 19, 2023, at age 96.

Motorcade stops at Georgia's state capitol

The motorcade’s first stop in Atlanta is Georgia’s state capitol, where former President Jimmy Carter will be honored with a moment of silence.

Carter served as governor of Georgia and a state senator before becoming the 39th president.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens are among the officials coming to the capitol to pay their respects. The president's eldest son, Jack Carter, briefly exited the car to shake officials' hands.

Georgia state troopers who were on Carter’s protective detail during his time as governor also attended.

Carter’s White House portrait dressed in black bunting

Former President Jimmy Carter’s official White House portrait has been dressed in black bunting.

President Joe Biden ordered American flags to be flown at half-mast for 30 days following Carter’s death. He also marked Jan. 9, 2025, as a National Day of Mourning.

Georgia residents line the streets to watch motorcade

Georgia residents from Ellaville to Fort Valley lined the streets with their families, holding American flags, to watch former President Jimmy Carter’s motorcade pass by on Saturday.

The motorcade is driving through several Georgia towns while en route from Carter’s hometown of Plains to Atlanta.

The motorcade will reach Atlanta around 3 p.m.

Carter begins final journey to Atlanta

Former President Jimmy Carter is now taking his final drive to Atlanta.

The public can view the motorcade in the cities of Preston, Ellaville, Butler, Reynolds, and Fort Valley.

The motorcade will arrive in Atlanta at about 3 p.m. The first stop will be the state capitol for a moment of silence. Carter’s remains will then go to the Carter Presidential Center for a service at 4 p.m.

Hearse makes emotional stop at Carter's boyhood home

The motorcade is stopping in front of the Plains, Georgia, farm that was former President Jimmy Carter’s boyhood home. The home had no running water or electricity during his childhood.

The home is now a part of the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park.

National Park Service employees who work at the home saluted the hearse and the farm bell was rung 39 times in his honor.

Motorcade drives through Plains

The motorcade next drove through the small town of Plains, Georgia, the lifelong home of former President Jimmy Carter.

Members of the public were invited to line the route to pay their respects.

Secret Service agents carry Carter's remains to hearse

The week-long funeral ceremonies for former President Jimmy Carter are officially underway.

Members of the public holding American flags gathered outside the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia, to honor Carter as his remains leave the facility.

Current and former Secret Service agents who protected Carter since he took office served as pallbearers, carrying the former president’s remains from the medical center to the waiting hearse.

The agents walked alongside the hearse with their hands on the vehicle as it slowly left the medical center.

After departing from the medical center, the motorcade will drive by Carter’s boyhood home in nearby Plains.

Carter will then be driven to Atlanta for a ceremony Saturday afternoon.

Motorcade arrives at medical center

The Carter family has arrived at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia, to witness the transfer of former President Jimmy Carter.

After leaving the medical center, the motorcade will drive by Carter’s boyhood home in nearby Plains. Carter will then be taken to Atlanta for an afternoon ceremony.

Schedule of events for this week's services

Former president Jimmy Carter's body will be transferred Saturday morning from his hometown of Plains, Georgia, to Atlanta.

A ceremony will be held at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Mourners can pay their respects to Carter in Atlanta over the following days before his remains are transferred to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.

Carter will lie in state at the Capitol from Tuesday to Thursday.

Carter will be honored with a state funeral at Washington National Cathedral on Thursday morning. President Joe Biden expected to deliver a eulogy.

On Thursday afternoon, Carter and his family will return to Plains for a private service.

The public is then invited to line the motorcade route as Carter and his family travel through Plains to the late president's final resting place.

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(LAS VEGAS) -- Police are poring over what they believe are letters left by Matthew Livelsberger -- the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded on New Year's Day outside the Trump International Las Vegas Hotel -- on a phone in the destroyed vehicle, authorities said Friday.

Livelsberger shared personal and political "grievances" in the recovered messages and called the attack a "wake up call," police said.

"I know everyone is very eager to try to understand and be able to explain what happened," Las Vegas Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said during a press briefing on Friday. "We still have a large volume of data to go through, a lot of content to go through."

Livelsberger, an active-duty Army soldier, said the country was being led by the "weak" and those out to "enrich themselves," while also claiming the incident was not meant as a terrorist attack, according to excerpts of the two letters shared by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

The department released the two letters to the public following the press briefing.

"You'll see that he actually calls it a stunt, in one of these documents that we're going to release to you, that he was trying to get the attention of the American people because he was upset about a number of different things," Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said during Friday's briefing when asked about the suspect's political views. "But I'll let those writings speak for themselves."

In one of the letters police say were found on his phone, Livelsberger expressed support for Donald Trump and the president-elect's allies, Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He also expressed disdain for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and income inequality and expressed a concern about homelessness, according to the letters.

Livelsberger died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound prior to the blast, the Clark County coroner confirmed Thursday evening. No one else was seriously hurt, though seven bystanders sustained minor injuries, officials said.

The evidence shows Livelsberger "thoughtfully prepared" and acted alone in the incident, Spencer Evans, special agent in charge for the FBI's Las Vegas division, said during Friday's press briefing. Livelsberger was not on the FBI's radar prior to the incident, Evans said.

"Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues," Evans said.

Authorities are also looking into a letter purportedly sent by Livelsberger and shared by the military-themed "Shawn Ryan Show" podcast on Friday. That information was sent to the FBI following the attack, Evans confirmed.

"We still have not conclusively determined that that's from the subject, but feel confident, based on evidence that we're uncovering on his devices, that that was, in fact, from Livelsberger," Evans said.

In the Cybertruck, officials found credit and identification cards in Livelsberger's name, evidence he owned the weapons found in the destroyed vehicle and identified tattoos that appeared to match Livelsberger's body, however, severe physical injuries slowed the identification process.

The Clark County coroner ultimately identified Livelsberger -- of Colorado Springs, Colorado -- as the driver on Thursday. His cause of death was a self-inflicted intraoral gunshot wound.

Livelsberger was found with a gun at his feet. Two firearms -- one handgun and one rifle -- were found in the vehicle "burnt beyond recognition," McMahill said.

Both weapons were purchased legally on Monday, he added.

Two phones were recovered from the vehicle, including one containing the two letters, Koren said. Investigators have been unable to access the other phone at this time, he said.

It is unclear why Livelsberger chose a Tesla or the route he took, authorities said Friday.

Livelsberger rented the Tesla vehicle on Saturday in Denver via the Turo app, before driving to Las Vegas through cities in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. His progress was tracked through Tesla charging stations, officials said.

The vehicle first pulled into the Trump International Las Vegas Hotel valet area just after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, officials said. It then left the area, driving along Las Vegas Boulevard, before returning to the valet area at about 8:39 a.m., exploding 17 seconds after its arrival.

Livelsberger served as a Green Beret in the Army and was on approved leave from serving in Germany at the time of his death, a U.S. Army spokesperson said Thursday.

He received extensive decorations in combat, including the Bronze Star with a "V" device for valor, indicating heroism under fire. Livelsberger received four more standard Bronze Star medals, according to Army records. He also earned the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three stars. Each star represents service in a separate campaign in Afghanistan.

Livelsberger had been receiving mental health assistance over the last year, a U.S. official confirmed Friday.

Another U.S. official confirmed that officials thought Livelsberger was stable enough to go home for Christmas and his leave was approved.

The Department of Defense has turned over Livelsberger's medical records to local law enforcement, Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters during a briefing on Friday.

"I just don't have more details to share," she added, when asked about reporting from CNN that the suspect had been diagnosed with depression last year.

Singh noted that service members are encouraged to seek help with any mental health issues.

The Las Vegas incident is not believed to have any direct connection to the New Year's Day truck attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people -- as well as the suspect -- and injured 35 others, according to the FBI. The truck used in the New Orleans attack was also rented using the Turo app, officials said.

Evans reiterated Friday that there is no evidence that the two events are connected, saying there are "coincidental similarities" between them -- including that both drivers were in the military, rented vehicles through the same service and stayed in an Airbnb.

There is no evidence at this time that the two drivers had any overlap even though both served in Afghanistan, Singh also said Friday.

Livelsberger was a supporter of Trump, an official briefed on the probe told ABC News. His wife, who investigators spoke to in Colorado Springs, said he had been out of the house since around Christmas after a dispute over allegations of infidelity, the official said.

His wife told officials she did not believe Livelsberger would want to hurt anyone, the official told ABC News.

Livelsberger is believed to have told the person he rented the truck from that he was going camping at the Grand Canyon, the official told ABC News.

Investigators are still looking to determine how the items in the truck were detonated, but with the contents of the vehicle so badly burned, it may be a slow process, according to the official.

The sheriff said Musk, Tesla's CEO, helped the investigation by having the truck unlocked after it auto-locked in the blast and by giving investigators video of the suspect at charging stations along its route from Colorado to Las Vegas.

McMahill said police believe the explosion was an "isolated incident" and that "there is no further threat to the community."

Video played at Thursday's Las Vegas news conference showed a load of fireworks-style mortars, gasoline cans and camping fuel canisters in the back of the truck.

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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(NEW YORK) -- The judge in Donald Trump's New York criminal hush money case indicated Friday that he intends to sentence the president-elect to an "unconditional discharge" out of respect for the presidential immunity doctrine.

Judge Juan Merchan ordered Trump to appear, either in person or virtually, for sentencing on Jan. 10, which is 10 days before Trump's presidential inauguration.

Merchan, in his ruling Friday, called an unconditional discharge the "most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options."

Trump faces the possibility of up to four years in prison for his conviction, though most legal experts believe he is more likely to receive a lighter sentence.

Trump's legal team is expected to try to stop the Jan. 10 sentencing, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News. His lawyers intend to ask an intermediate New York appellate court to intervene and stop the sentencing hearing from going forward, the sources said.

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung, in a statement, called Merchan's ruling "a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence."

"President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts. There should be no sentencing," the statement said.

The Manhattan district attorney's office, which secured the conviction against Trump, did not respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

Trump was found guilty this past May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.

Merchan, in his ruling, described Trump's conduct as a "premediated and continuous deception by the leader of the free world."

"To vacate this verdict on the grounds that the charges are insufficiently serious given the position Defendant once held, and is about to assume again, would constitute a disproportionate result and cause immeasurable damage to the citizenry's confidence in the Rule of Law," the ruling said.

While Merchan said that he cannot determine Trump's sentence without hearing from Trump himself and others in the case, he signaled his plan to sentence him to an unconditional discharge, under which Trump would avoid serious punishment but the record of his conviction would remain on his record.

Trump's lawyers had long fought to push back the sentencing, successfully delaying it three times following the Supreme Court's sweeping ruling on presidential immunity and a heated presidential campaign.

Merchan initially scheduled the sentencing for July 11 before pushing it to Sept. 18 in order to weigh if Trump's conviction was impacted by the Supreme Court's July ruling prohibiting the prosecution of a president for official acts undertaken while in office. Merchan subsequently ruled that Trump's conviction related "entirely to unofficial conduct" and "poses no danger of intrusion on the authority and function of the Executive Branch."

Merchan wrote that a unconditional discharge would respect the sanctity of the jury's verdict -- which he called "a bedrock principle in our nation's jurisprudence" -- and the principle of presidential immunity.

"While this Court as a matter of law must not make any determination on sentencing prior to giving the parties and Defendant an opportunity to be heard, it seems proper at this juncture to make known the Court's inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorized by the conviction but one the People concede they no longer view as a practicable recommendation," the ruling said.

"As such; in balancing the aforementioned considerations in conjunction with the underlying concerns of the Presidential immunity doctrine, a sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options," Merchan wrote.

Merchan's ruling criticized Trump and his lawyers -- several of whom are set to take top positions at the Department of Justice -- for using rhetoric that "has no place in legal pleadings."

"Dangerous rhetoric is not a welcome form of argument and will have no impact on how the Court renders this or any other Decision," Merchan wrote.

The judge also criticized Trump for his "disdain" for the judiciary.

"Defendant's disdain for the Third Branch of government, whether state or federal, in New York or elsewhere, is a matter of public record. Indeed, Defendant has gone to great lengths to broadcast on social media and other forums his lack of respect for judges, juries, grand juries and the justice system as a whole," the ruling said.

The jury's verdict, handed down last summer, made Trump the first U.S. president, current or former, to be criminally convicted.

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