Deliberations in Manafort case enter a fourth day
Jurors in the fraud trial of former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort began their fourth day of deliberations yesterday.
On Monday, the 12 jurors ended their day in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, 45 minutes later than previous sessions.
Mr Manafort faces 18 criminal charges including falsification of tax returns, committing bank fraud and failing to file reports of foreign bank accounts.
It is the first trial stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 US election, although the charges mainly predate the five months Mr Manafort worked on Mr Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign.
A conviction would undermine attempts by Mr Trump and some Republican legislators to portray Mr Mueller’s Russia inquiry as a witch hunt. An acquittal would be a setback for the special counsel.
Aaron Wolfson, a former prosecutor in New York, said that it was not uncommon for juries to be out “five, six or seven days” in complicated cases. “I think the jurors all know how serious this case is and they want to take the time to go through the evidence,” Mr Wolfson said. “Staying late shows they’re working hard and there was something they wanted to finish.”
In two weeks of testimony, prosecutors presented evidence that Mr Manafort evaded US income taxes on $16 million (Dh58.7m) he earned as a consultant for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine, then lied to banks to secure $20m in loans after his Ukrainian income dried up.
His former right-hand man, Rick Gates, took the stand for the prosecution, as were 26 other witnesses. Mr Gates, also a former Trump campaign aide, was charged along with Mr Manafort but pleaded guilty and agreed to co-operate with the government.
Jurors were shown 388 exhibits, including some that showed how Mr Manafort spent money on items including a $15,000 ostrich jacket and a $21,000 watch, and $6 million in US property.
The defence rested without presenting witnesses, although Mr Manafort’s lawyer, Kevin Downing, questioned Mr Gates’s credibility.