Judge drops some charges against ex-Trump campaign manager Manafort

[Miles Archer]

Source: Reuters

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors on Friday agreed to drop criminal charges against Paul Manafort that a jury deadlocked on earlier this year, as a federal judge set a Feb. 8 date for Manafort’s sentencing on charges of bank fraud and filing false tax returns.

Prosecutors had favored waiting until Manafort finished cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller before addressing the remaining charges, but U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis rejected the timetable so he could move forward with sentencing Manafort, who appeared in court in a wheelchair and was said to be suffering significant health issues.

“I have not heard any estimation from the government of when his cooperation will be complete,” Ellis said, referring to the special counsel investigation. “I’m not willing to go on endlessly” before sentencing Manafort, he added.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-manafort/judge-drops-some-charges-against-ex-trump-campaign-manager-manafort-idUSKCN1MT2M5

[poli-junkie]

1. Wheelchair???

...nice touch Manafort.

[diva77]

10. seems like they're using The Onion as their playbook

K&R for exposure

[WhiteTara]

13. He's following Bill Cosby's playbook

I expect him to pretend to be blind next. Oh and BTW Paulie, Womp Womp

[chowder66]

2. ...did so without prejudice, meaning the prosecution could reintroduce them

"Ellis dropped the charges on which the jury had deadlocked, but did so without prejudice, meaning the prosecution could reintroduce them at a later date. He set a Feb. 8 sentencing date for the tax and bank fraud charges on which Manafort was convicted."

snip

"Manafort appeared in court in green prison uniform that said “Alexandria inmate.” He was in a wheelchair and had a bandage on his right foot. A source familiar with his health said he had a “serious medical condition related to his diet.”

[MANative]

3. I'd bet we're all thinking diabetes. nt

[chowder66]

4. Yup. nt

[chowder66]

5. Either that or someone stabbed him in the foot and they are covering it up but probably diabetes. nt

[Achilleaze]

6. Gout (disease of sybaritic republicans)

[chowder66]

8. Bone Spurs?. nt

[FailureToCommunicate]

7. 'Prison food diet-betes' ?

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[chowder66]

9. I admit, I might use a wheelchair too after seeing that. Yuk! nt

[llmart]

12. Oh, too freakin' bad...

No more lobster tails and filet mignon for the crook.

[SergeStorms]

11. A wheelchair? Another page right out of the mafia playbook.

These guys are so unoriginal.