Paul Manafort trial: Judge abruptly recesses trial, reminds jury not to discuss the case

[Calista241]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by muriel_volestrangler (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: USA Today

The bank and tax fraud trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was abruptly recessed Friday morning, casting doubt that the government could rest its case by day’s end.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III, who huddled privately with prosecutors and defense lawyers at the bench for most of the morning, excused the jury until 1:45 p.m., and did not reveal the reason for the delay.

Before adjourning, Ellis offered an unusually emphatic instruction to the jurors that they should not discuss the case with others or among themselves until all the evidence was in.

Ellis also reminded the panel that Manafort, who was seated at the defense table, is presumed innocent of the 18 criminal counts lodged against him.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/10/paul-manafort-trial-judge-jury-friday-update/956821002/

[MattP]

1. Judge Ellis can anyone think of a more inappropriate judge

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Not so fast. I've read on DU that he is tough but runs a tight court & lawyers respect him. . . . nt

[ArizonaLib]

18. Ha! I have read some awful things about him on DU!

Anyone can look in any biography on him that he has dismissed many wrongful death lawsuits against corporations only to later to see those same corporations settle with each defendant (case in point, Blackwater).

Conservative d-bags are always apologizing for each other.

[radical noodle]

2. I almost wish for a new trial with a different judge

This one has been pretty outrageous.

[kimbutgar]

3. I wonder if this judge is working with the repukes and the orange maggot?

He seems to not be too partial of a judge. I think he has been corrupted or being paid off.

[C Moon]

17. That's what it's souding like to me. "I have to talk to someone before we continue..." (my words)

GOPutin couldn't stop it, so they got to the judge.

[turbinetree]

4. This smells like a mistrial..................all the way...........

this jury should have been sequestered ....................unfucking believable, lets see what happens around 2:00 PM EST .............................

[Equinox Moon]

5. Something fishy going on with this judge.

Corruption? RW radical? His age is kicking out some cognitive issues?

He was appointed my Reagan. He is 78 years old.

[Dopers_Greed]

6. I'm really surprised that the jury wasn't sequestered

Info on the trial is literally everywhere. I can't even go out to eat, or to the gym, without seeing Faux News defending Manafort.

It's probably impossible for the jurors to avoid outside info.

[Perseus]

7. ***BREAKING*** The judge has been offered the post of Secretary of the Army

by Paul Manafort...His recess was to make some calls to some generals to start preparing for his future role.

[ChiTownDenny]

11. + 1

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

15. Or Secretary of the Space Force

the job has to go to somebody, right?

[democratisphere]

8. Just another example for abolishing lifetime appointments!

Power and lifetime appointments may corrupt absolutely!

[Calista241]

13. I'd rather judges be lifetime appointments than elected officials.

Maybe if you shorten the term of the appointment to 10 years. But still, that cuts both ways.

Does anyone here think W Bush would have re-appointed RBG to the court?

[spinbaby]

9. Having recently been a juror, this does not seem unusual

My jury duty came with constant reminders not to talk about the case, look at news about the case, or investigate the case in any way. Also constant reminders that the defendant was assumed to be innocent.

[SayItLoud]

12. ManaFART smiling, secret discussions with Judge: I smell

Mistrial due to jury either seeing or discussing verboten stuff.

[UpInArms]

14. A re-enactment of Judge Ito?

🤦🏽?♀️

[Bernardo de La Paz]

26. No

[canetoad]

16. This would not be a surprise

To anyone who watched Rachel on Thursday.

The prosecution was expected to complete it's case on Friday, with the calling of two witnesses who have been given immunity; John Brennan and Dennis Raico. These two are supposedly connected to the Federal Savings Bank of Chicago, the bank that loaned Manafort millions.

The founder of this bank, Stephen Calk, worked on the Trump campaign as a financial adviser and he is the guy who believed that Manafort had cleared the way to his becoming Secretary of the Army.

The problem is that the judge made it perfectly clear that the Trump campaign was not to be brought up at this particular trial; the calling of these witnesses make the mention of Trump's campaign almost inevitable.

So please everyone, hold your horses. Stop indulging in conspiracies about the Judge, and wait to see how this plays out.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. Finally some analysis and not knee-jerk reactions. Thank you. . . . nt

[ArizonaLib]

20. Ellis was wrong to give those instructions

He has even had to apologize to the jurors for his court behavior. This judge is not a rookie - he is very experienced and stinks to high heaven of Republican corruption.

Republicans are totally immoral. Family values? Families in cages!

[ArizonaLib]

21. Not only that, but Ellis allowed the witnesses in court

Ellis does not hesitate to admonish the prosecution for anything he doesn't like or favors the defense. Manafort must look really guilty if Ellis continues to emphasize that the jury not discuss the case. If Ellis calls a mistrial, it is to give the Republicans a break before the election. If anyone deserves to request a mistrial it would be the prosecution. A judge that cannot keep it together for a paper trial should be disbarred.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

25. You forget the second Manafort trial. No, a mistrial would not give them a break. . . . nt

[canetoad]

22. You're talking about two different things here

Yes, there was an apology, but it was because the Judge spoke harshly to attorney/s. The agreement to not mention Trump campaign was made at the beginning - possibly to avoid contaminating the next Manafort trial.

[ArizonaLib]

23. Nope - both points show Judge Ellis is biased

He apologized after the prosecutors complained in writing. It is not within the judge's scope to worry about an unrelated trial.

Ellis is corrupt - it's obvious.

[Dopers_Greed]

24. I agree with the not bringing up Trump thing

The crimes Manafort's currently on trial for happened prior to the Trump campaign. Having Trump factor into the trial would just bias the jury.

Unless of course, a MAGAt already happened to get onto this jury, lied during voir dire, and will refuse to convict. Which is what I'm worried about.

[muriel_volestrangler]

27. Locking - duplicate thread

of https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142130761 . The Washington Post page that links to had been updated with this delay, and they have since restarted, so this doesn't seem an important development that needs its own thread.

Please continue discussion in the other thread. Thanks.