Manafort Trial Just for the hell of it.

Jury sent a note asking for the definition of "reasonable doubt" and shell corporation.


It was "shelf corporation."   Correction below.


From one lawyer I saw on the news - "reasonably doubt" is a fairly common question.


He's facing 18 counts so anything is possible.


Formerlyjerseyjack said:
Jury sent a note asking for the definition of "reasonable doubt" and shell corporation.

 I just read that the question was about shelcompanies.


I've seen the jury's request listed as shelf companies and shell companies. I don't know which is the typo.


It is shelf company. A witness testified about a shelf company.


Chance of Russians getting to one of the jurors with a threat: 99%


Interesting episode which might suggest some "coming attractions" from prosecution witness Rick Gates:

But the real intrigue came during the cross-examination of Gates. After answering a number of questions about his own misconduct, including embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort, Gates was asked if he had been questioned by the special counsel’s office about his time on the Trump campaign. When Gates answered “yes,” he then was asked whether he had been interviewed several times about his time on the Trump campaign. Before Gates could answer, the government objected, and the parties conferred with the judge at sidebar. When questioning resumed, defense counsel moved on to a new line of questioning. The next morning, the government filed a motion to seal the portion of the transcript reflecting the conversation that occurred at the sidebar conference. In the motion, the government argued that disclosure of the transcript would reveal “substantive evidence pertaining to an ongoing investigation.” The court granted the motion to seal that portion of the transcript until that information becomes public “if that were to occur.”

https://www.justsecurity.org/60329/reading-lines-gates-cooperating-manafort/

So if he was questioned about his time on the Trump campaign ...


Day 3 of jury deliberations in process. Any predictions?


One way or another, Manafort won’t go to jail.  


Sounds like they've reached verdicts on all but one count.


dave23 said:
Sounds like they've reached verdicts on all but one count.

 Apparently, all but 10 counts.


Guilty on 8 counts.

5 on tax fraud

2 on bank fraud

1 on failure to file on foreign bank account

Hung jury/mistrial on the other 10.


Eight is Enough (te he)


When Trump bent over and let Stormy Daniels (allegedly) swat his bottom with a magazine, he never could have imagined that the act would help bring him to the crossroads of his presidency.


Top Dems on the Hill to Trump:  "Don't even think about pardoning Manafort."


rawstory.com:  Key Senate Democrat Mark Warner Warns Trump

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/08/key-senate-democrat-warns-paul-trump-not-attempt-pardon-manafort/


thehill.com:  Schumer:  Trump better not talk about pardons for Cohen or Manafort at West Virginia Rally

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/402936-schumer-trump-better-not-talk-about-pardons-cohen-manafort-at-west-virginia




thehill.com:  Schumer:  Trump better not talk about pardons for Cohen or Manafort at West Virginia Rally
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/402936-schumer-trump-better-not-talk-about-pardons-cohen-manafort-at-west-virginia

 Or else what? Schumer will hold another useless press conference?


Schumer was just trying to provoke him.


yahooyahoo said:
A single holdout prevented a guilty verdict on all 18 counts.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/08/23/manafort-juror-reveals-lone-holdout-prevented-mueller-team-from-winning-conviction-on-all-counts.html



“Certainly Mr. Manafort got caught breaking the law, but he wouldn’t have gotten caught if they weren’t after President Trump,"

How on earth did they seat her on the jury?


gerritn said:


yahooyahoo said:
A single holdout prevented a guilty verdict on all 18 counts.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/08/23/manafort-juror-reveals-lone-holdout-prevented-mueller-team-from-winning-conviction-on-all-counts.html
“Certainly Mr. Manafort got caught breaking the law, but he wouldn’t have gotten caught if they weren’t after President Trump,"
How on earth did they seat her on the jury?

 "Yes, Mr. Judge, I can put my love of the president aside in order to render a fair judgement."


It was a case of jury nullification but it this case, we lost. I'm surprise we won any guilty verdicts.




Just saw the last post. The juror in question voted guilty on every count. We do not know who the holdout on the ten counts was or what his/her reasoning was.

In the meantime public opinion is against a pardon.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/24/poll-manafort-pardon-politico-morning-consult-795699



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