Discussion: Defense Rests Case In Manafort Trial

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What case?

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It’s important to get enough rest.

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And now we see if the jury was paying any attention, at all.

There’ll be a bit of wrangling, I imagine, on the jury instructions that the judge will issue. And then we wait…

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The defense did not call any witnesses or present any evidence.

Gee…I wonder who’s expecting a pardon.

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Can’t wait to read the judge’s instructions to the jury!

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The jury should be back in less than an hour (in a normal reality that is).

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I bet the jury hangs. I think the defense was able to present enough of a reasonable doubt to sway at least one juror to hold out, and the judge seemed to be working for the defense (was he bribed or threatened?).

I hope I am wrong.

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The defense is banking on the finding of “beyond a reasonable doubt” on all 16 counts. I can see one or two counts ending up not meeting that standard, but by no means all of them. He’s going down. Hard.

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For somebody whose formative pop-culture experience with the US criminal justice system was the OJ trial, this whirlwind has been absolutely remarkable.

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Wow, fast indeed in the rocket docket. Does discussion of charges and instructions to jury come before the closing arguments? I don’t watch much TV law, so who gives first closing?

ETA: And I really want to know about the sealed order that will come out only after the verdict. If it was about the jury, wouldn’t we see an alternate stepping in?

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Count me not surprised. And who would he call? His wife? His daughter, who participated in his fraud? And Manafort would have been sliced and diced 8 ways to Sunday if he took the stand.

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Beg pardon??

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So low energy.

Like a hibernating bear.

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Prosecutors go first, when defense. Prosecutors then will have some time (usually around 15-20 minutes) for rebuttal.

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You go to trial with the potential witnesses you have, not the potential witnesses you wish you had.

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Yes, he’ll be hibernating for years … behind bars.

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With so many charges and so much evidence it is almost impossible to imagine a jury finding him innocent on all counts. He is going to spend the rest of his life in prison. Sadly, unless she has an independent source of wealth, his wife is going to spend the rest of her life in poverty. She will probably be able to keep her house in Palm Beach Gardens depending on whether she can afford the mortgage.

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Yeah, it figures when the strategery (h/t Bush the Lesser) is the following:

Eggs ——> Basket.

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In a mob trial this means a verdict has already been arranged.

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