OK - now at Aimee Harris last ditch hearing to try to avoid July 9 surrender for 1 month in jail for Ashley Biden diary. Inner City Press has been covering the case and will live tweet, thread below innercitypress.com/sdny377pfifthc…
[Before Judge in]
Clerk: Ms Harris, can you hear us?
Aimee Harris ["appearing" in SDNY court virtually from Florids] Only every other word.. I'll move and take my earbuds out.
[Now Aimee Harris appears on screen in SDNY courtroom, white headphones on, turquoise wall behind her]
Aimee Harris: You sound far away but I can hear you.
All rise!
Judge: Ms Harris, please turn your camera on. I have the CJA attorney on duty today here.
OK - now US v Menendez, 5 pm proceeding on motions about what can come into evidence in the defense case. Inner City Press wrote the (first) book and will live tweet, thread below amazon.com/dp/B0D7X51R2D
All rise!
Judge Stein: I am allowing in portions of the deposition, you can play it for the jury tomorrow. How much time?
Defense: We are trying to streamline, to get it to the jurors more quickly. If Government doesn't cross about the chart, it's 10 minutes
Menendez's lawyer Weitzman: The government put into evidence 700 documents at the end of their case, we didn't cross on those. So let our chart go in.
AUSA: Their charts are argumentative in ways that ours were not.
Defense: What is we do 15 minutes and they, 15
OK - now heading to sentencing of Mauricio Hernandez Pineda, formerly of the Honduras National Police (and cousin of JOH). Pineda wants 15 years; US is asking for 20. [ Pineda quiere 15 años; Estados Unidos pide 20] Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below
All rise!
Judge Castel: I have read Mr. Pineda's letter
[Inner City Press has also read it: Pineda says he's teaching Spanish and advising Christians]
Pineda's lawyer Ma: No objection to the Pre-Sentencing Report
Ma: Judge Schofield in 2018 sentenced the HNP's Garcia who worked with Lionel Rivera of los Cachiros to 168 months or 14 years. Ludwig Zelaya Romero had lists of sicarios, killed a journalist. He got 144 months or 12 years
OK - Menendez trial as defense case starts, Judge Stein says proffered evidence on Nadine's ex-bf Anton is "too soap opera" and excluded, complains of over litigious trial, Inner City Press 2d book coming will live tweet, thread below amazon.com/dp/B0D7X51R2D
[Before jury is brought in]
Judge Stein: Where did you raise this objection?
Assistant US Attorney: It's about DX 1591.
Judge: Mr. Weitzman, what's the issue here?
Menendez's lawyer Avi Weitzman: I'm only going to use it to refresh.
Judge: OK. It's a banana.
Judge: I'm told that the jury is here. How many do you have?
AUSA: Texts between Robert Mendenez and Nadine sister Katia. I think these sentences are hearsay, and the rest is not relevant.
Judge: Let me look at it.
OK - now at sentencing of #Ghana "influencer" Mona Faiz Montrage for romance scsms. She's asked for 3 months in prison: US wants 37 months. As only media here, Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below
Judge: The guideline is 37 to 46 months.
Assistant US Attorney: The victims were vulnerable senior citizens. Some were promised marriage; they sent and lost money. Middlemen received 10%.
AUSA: Defendant participated in this scheme fir six years. 32 victims lost $1.4 million. Meanwhile Ms. Montrage reinvented herself in Ghana.
OK - now in US v. Menendez, FBI forensic account about Bob's M&T account is last government witness; defense will allude to Anton. Inner City Press covers the case (books: & UN …… ), will live tweet, thread below audible.com/pd/B0D7XCDTCT amazon.com/Belt-Roadkill-…
All rise!
[Witness is called, and sworn...]
AUSA: Which accounts of Senator did you review?
FBI accountant: Senate Credit Union and M&T Bank. Also, Schedule E, Rental Income, from the Senator's tax returns.
AUSA: In this chart, how much is indicated in Menendez cash withdrawals from the Senate credit union?
FBI accounting: $55,000 between 2018 and June 2022.
AUSA: If all of that were part of the money seized, how does it compare to the bills issued after 2018?
Less