Manafort Trial Judge Wants The Lawyers' Eye-Rolling To Stop

[red dog 1]

Talking Points Memo
August 1, 2018


ALEXANDRIA. Va. (AP) -- The federal judge in Paul Manafort's financial fraud trial is trying to place limits on the court proceedings, warning lawyers not to roll their eyes at him or to introduce irrelevant evidence.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis lll pressed prosecutors to limit their use of an extensive trove of evidence, saying that some documents and photographs were not relevant to charges that Manafort tried to hide millions of dollars in income on his tax returns.

At one point in the trial's second day, Ellis also said he was told that attorneys on both sides had been seen rolling their eyes after leaving the bench or in response to his rulings.
The Lawyer's facial expressions, Ellis said, appeared to show them thinking "why do we have to put up with this idiot judge?'

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/manafort-trial-judge-lawyers-eye-rolling

[Glimmer of Hope]

1. I am so sad this isn't televised. The judge sounds like such a character.

[dameatball]

2. This judge sounds a little flakey.

[red dog 1]

4. I agree

I wonder who "squealed" on the eye rollers?

[babylonsister]

3. Bravo!! :-) nt

[2golddogs]

5. Here comes the judge

Am I the only one who sees T. S. Eliot every time I read this judge's name?

[kcr]

11. I do it too

Glad to see I'm not the only one

[BigmanPigman]

6. He is also not allowing the prosecutors to show all the evidence of how lavishly

he lived. They need to make the point that even though he made $ 60 million, spent $1 million on suits in 4 years, etc he was greedy and didn't pay taxes since he feels he is above the law. This is part of their case and the judge is stopping the prosecutors. He sounds pretty biased to me.

[eleny]

7. When you don't declare all your income and then spend more than you declare...

... seems relevant to me that the prosecution would try to show how much you spent back then. that goes hand in hand with his bank accounts and money transfers.

I have to guess that they weren't just trying to bias the jury against Manafort because of his wealth. But wanted to prove how much income he had. Hopefully they got that point across well enough and the judge only figured enough was enough. If he's being biased I hope the prosecutors have a way of letting the judge know that he's on thin ice with his putting the breaks on their approach.

[red dog 1]

14. + 1

He sounds biased to me, too.

[TomSlick]

8. I remember an old military judge -

well, as a squeaky-new lawyer, I thought he was old - that had a rule: "Rule for the Defendant and find for the Prosecution."

It might be that the Judge is being careful to keep an appeal-proof record.

[Jersey Devil]

9. Sounds like the judge wants to be the star of this drama

Judges don't normally inject themselves into what the prosecutor's decide to use as evidence as long as it is not totally irrelevant to the case. I think he wants a little press.

[a kennedy]

10. and as said before on here someplace.....he makes me very nervous.....

IT ISN’T ABOUT THE JUDGE......

[red dog 1]

15. + 1

(I think it's possible that he's insane)

[UTUSN]

12. K for a DUer who likes this judge!1

[oasis]

13. Hey judge, when your grandstanding ceases, the eye rolling will cease.

[red dog 1]

16. This sounds like something from The Onion, or Andy Borowitz

I have never before heard of a judge telling both prosecutors and defense attorneys to
"stop rolling their eyes"

[onenote]

17. Eye-rolling, smirking, various facial expressions: things that annoy judges

Most of the time, a judge will let it go. But it's not unheard of for a judge to call out lawyers for such behavior.


https://www.upi.com/Judge-warns-attorneys-in-Anthony-trial/53581309706855/

[red dog 1]

18. That may be true, however,

in that case, the defense attorney obviously stepped over the line when he "loudly told jurors that [the prosecutor] was a 'laughing guy'," as the prosecutor barely hid a smile."

Also, more importantly, in this case, the judge "pressed prosecutors to limit their use of an extensive trove of evidence"....WTF?

Perhaps Robert Mueller NEEDED "an extensive trove of evidence" to make sure his case against Manafort was solid?