Manafort trial Day 14: Jury 'scared' as it heads home without a verdict

[jpak]

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/17/manafort-verdict-latest-news-updates-783089

08/17/2018 05:42 PM EDT
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Paul Manafort's trial will stretch into a fourth week, as jurors headed home Friday without reaching a verdict for the second straight day and the judge overseeing the case alluded to "threats" the jury may be receiving.

“I had no idea this case would incite this emotion,” U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III said in an open court hearing, responding to a motion from seven news organizations, including POLITICO, seeking access to sealed materials related to the trial that would have publicly identified the jurors.

Ellis denied the motion, telling the courtroom that jurors were "scared” and “afraid.” As a result, Ellis said, he didn’t “feel right” releasing the names of the 12-person jury.

But Manafort's team left court on Friday pleased that deliberations would spill into a third day, with Manafort lawyer Kevin Downing telling reporters it favored his client.

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[underthematrix]

1. Wait a minute please tell me this is NOT why Manafort's defense team is so confident of a

not guilty verdict on all charges.

[fallout87]

2. They think that time

favors their client. It's impossible to predict what the verdict will be, but generally, longer deliberation favors the defendant.

[Qutzupalotl]

5. I think this case is unusually complex,

and while the principle you cited is generally true in most cases, the sheer volume of documents here is probably a big cause of the delay.

[tableturner]

7. Absolutely agreed! That, along with the diligence of the jury....

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. Except that this is complex case; about 40 minutes per charge so far. 400 exhibits. . . nt

[Hekate]

3. Has that judge been living under a rock? He really didn't know?

[Kilgore]

9. Believe it or not, I'm not surprised

We forget that the vast majority don't follow politics closely. From my discussion with folks, I would estimate 1 in 6 could tell you any details about Manafort or what he is charged with.

We DU's are a very small exception.

[Sneederbunk]

4. It incites Dotard ergo it incites the Deplorables.

[Sophia4]

8. Ellis should have sequestered the jurors.

How could he be surprised that this case is very controversial.

He does not need to release the names of the jurors now.