Delay in Manafort trial...is it possible

[Raven]

that PM sees the writing on the wall and is going to plead?

[RandySF]

1. Wow

Yeah I think so.

[dchill]

2. I can think of nothing else.

[Wellstone ruled]

3. Smelling like a

Juror has been tainted.

[Raven]

5. Hmmm, so maybe a motion for a mistrial based on what

happened last week?

[Wellstone ruled]

7. This might be why things ran off the rails Friday.

Remember,we are dealing with Mob Scum Bags here.

[Equinox Moon]

14. If there is a mistrial, does that mean they re-try him?

[beachbum bob]

4. delay can be several things from witnesses ill to a juror tampering to a plea deal

With the govt case, Manafort is going to be convicted on many of the charges for sure. Trump can pardon after sentencing but that really places the gOP in a way bad position for the upcoming election for sure

[oasis]

6. Surely communication between PM and WH is zero for fear of Mueller's

tentacles. No attorney would risk their career to save Trump or Manafort in a lost cause.

[JayhawkSD]

8. Prosecution has rested its case.

At this point the defense can, and often does, file motion for summary dismissal by the judge, alleging that the prosecution has not presented sufficient evidence for the jury to properly return a finding of guilty. The defense must look at the evidence presented for every element of every charge during the prosecution's case. If evidence is lacking for one element of a charge, then the entire charge is thrown out.

Given that the indictment is 37 pages in length, the defense needs quite a bit of time to accomplish this and frame its request to the judge.

I know everyone here has found Manafort guilty of all charges without having to attend the actual trial. He may be. I don't know and don't care, since none of the charges are in any way even remotely related to the scope of the investigation, which is Russian interference and the Trump campaign's participation therein. I regard this whole issue as prosecutorial overreach and a travesty.

[rzemanfl]

9. I disagree, but you are entitled to your opinion and not caring. n/t

[Solomon]

10. Wtf!?

[Hawaii Hiker]

12. Maybe if Manafort was on trial for jaywalking and/or unpaid parking tickets

it would be "prosecutorial overreach", but he's being charged with SERIOUS crimes, and deserves to be on trial for it.....

Plenty of people are in prisons for having done FAR less...

[dalton99a]

16. +1. Definitely "arising from the investigation":

[JayhawkSD]

21. See my post #20 nt

[JayhawkSD]

20. And plenty are not even charged for far, far worse.

Like all of the perps in 2008, who walked away wealthy.

If he was being tried by a different prosecutor and under different circumstances I would be cheering his downfall. But Mueller was charged with investigating and charging the participation of Russian interference and Trump campaign participation. That "all other matters related to and arising out of" was fluff, designed to permit the creation of leverage. This whole trial wrapped in the mantle of this "special investigation" is a sham, and is being help only because Manafort called Mueller's bluff and Mueller decided to play bad ass.

This trial, in these circumstances, is purely political grandstanding.

[Sophia4]

17. So what did Paul Manafort do with all the money he borrowed?

Is that just a personal loan matter, or was there more to it?

[manor321]

11. What delay?

What delay is being referred to here?

[berni_mccoy]

13. It's delayed to hear arguments over a motion to dismiss.

The fact that the judge didn't kill the motion outright is disturbing. These motions are common when the defense has no argument and the motions are rarely entertained.

[haele]

18. Don't find it suprising at all. Ellis has a reputation for never getting overturned on appeals...

Which is a good indicator that he always harasses and casts doubts on the prosecution with the cases brought before him.
I don't know how he acts if it's a right wing hit job prosecution against a known liberal defendant, though. How would he have acted and ruled in the Martha Stewart case?

Haele

[Sophia4]

19. But the judge may be trying to avert an appeal on the basis that he did not hear the motion.

I'm not familiar with criminal procedure on this level. Is my hypothesis possible? I know that judges hate remands on appeal or losing appeals.

[triron]

15. Source?