if the verdict comes back either mistrial or "not guilty on all counts"... I would start thinking that the fix is in.

but those feelings firmed up as the case went along.

Perhaps out of hubris, perhaps out of confidence, but it is the prosecution's burden so the defense doesn't have to put on witnesses.

I think it will backfire here for Manafort, FWIW.

We acquitted!

There is so much evidence against Manafort that the defense's only hope is to discredit enough of it by impeaching the witnesses that the whole case becomes doubtful.

There's a lot of risk in putting your defendant on the stand since it allows cross-examination

but a few witnesses to rebut the prosecution case or even a few "character" witnesses would be part of my defense strategy.

I know they are going for either jury nullification (they know someone on the jury will not vote to convict) or they plan on simply stating that the government has proved their case.

Still, I find it a bit strange.

This may not go anywhere.

Plus the judge gave his opinion that he feels defense has a valid argument that because the Bank CEO was a co-conspirator that Manafort couldn't defraud the bank. Leaving it up to the jury with a stated opinion is not good for the prosecution.

Government laid out a very powerful case. I think they're going to lose bigly.

These are standard procedural motions the defense is going to make because a/ they might get lucky and have one of them ruled in their favour and b/ because if handled improperly by the judge it gives additional grounds for an appeal. The defense does not expect to win on any of these points.

and it was denied.


I wonder if someone has Nitti's list of jurors and payments floating around.


Talk about rolling the dice. Manafort better hope that Trump doesn't stroke out before signing that pardon.

Sadly, I don't believe the repubs would mind it at all. They'll just commence to stealing everything that isn't nailed down. Then confess, have charges brought, tried, and pardoned before Twitler is gone from office. Everyone wins except us.

I bet they already know

Because anything they say can be used against them in the next trial , it risks upsetting the feds, closes the door on any deal going forward, and also, there is pretty much zero defense.