#ManafortTrial Thread -
Here's a peek behind some of the back-and-forth between prosecutor Greg Andres and Judge Ellis this afternoon. Prosecutors wanted to show jurors charts tracking the flow of money from Manafort's offshore accounts to various puchases made in the US.
Here's a peek behind some of the back-and-forth between prosecutor Greg Andres and Judge Ellis this afternoon. Prosecutors wanted to show jurors charts tracking the flow of money from Manafort's offshore accounts to various puchases made in the US.
Def. atty Richard Westling argued the charts were "cumulative" aka repetitive of evidence witnesses have testified to during an earlier point in trial.
Prosecutors disagreed, saying that the FBI accountant had put considerable effort into bringing all of the information together during the course of her investigation and that the charts - when combined with her testimony - would be relevant.
Ellis wasn't bowled over by the point, telling Andres at first, the information wouldn't be "relevant if she spent her whole life doing it,"
"The amount of work she's done is irrelevant but you can express your gratitude to her and to the Department of Justice," Ellis said.
"The amount of work she's done is irrelevant but you can express your gratitude to her and to the Department of Justice," Ellis said.
Andres pushed back again saying it was important to show the charts since they will indicate how domestic transactions and foreign transactions connect.
Ellis told Andres he had already elicited the information in earlier witness testimony and urged Andres - again - to speed along their case.
"Your honor, you said previously the charts would be better used if walked through by an agent. Thats what [Magionos] will do here."
"Your honor, you said previously the charts would be better used if walked through by an agent. Thats what [Magionos] will do here."
Westling balked, saying his team could stipulate one of the charts, specifically, the one offefing a more high level summary of Manafort's expenditures and the related flow of funds used to pay for those purchases.
Andres stood at the podium and began from a place of apparent frustration.
"I'm at a loss. We prepared our case. We're ready to go. You've asked us to expedite the case and now the defense wants to add another stipulation?" Andres said to Ellis.
"I'm at a loss. We prepared our case. We're ready to go. You've asked us to expedite the case and now the defense wants to add another stipulation?" Andres said to Ellis.
While Ellis eventually agreed to let Magionos testify, he again warned Andres about speediness.
"Judges should be patient. They made a mistake whn they confirmed me. I'm not patient," Ellis said to laughter in the courtroom.
"Judges should be patient. They made a mistake whn they confirmed me. I'm not patient," Ellis said to laughter in the courtroom.
This exchange happened while jurors were out of the room but just as jurors started filing in - at Ellis' order a moment before - the judge spoke.
Ellis said he wouldnt permit Magionos to read several emails from Manafort which prosecutors have been angling to hear in trial.
Ellis said he wouldnt permit Magionos to read several emails from Manafort which prosecutors have been angling to hear in trial.
Andres told the judge right away he wanted to address the emails later in the day but Ellis bellowed over him while jurors began to take their seats.
The prosecutor's basis to introduce the emails originated in a Sixth Circuit opinion from 2015, U.S. v Kirkpatrick, according to Andres.
But as jurors entered, Ellis reprimanded them, saying their request was based on a "throwaway line" from the opinion.
But as jurors entered, Ellis reprimanded them, saying their request was based on a "throwaway line" from the opinion.
Andres glanced toward the jurors as Ellis made the statement. He said nothing of the comment and took his seat.
