Michele Fiore arrives to federal court as her wire fraud trial continues.
Yesterday was a tense day as her daughter took the stand.
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Yesterday was a tense day as her daughter took the stand.
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This is day 7 of the jury trial.
The government filed a motion to strike testimony of Sheena Siegel, Fiore’s daughter.
Prosecutor: defense put her on the stand and then she wouldn’t answer questions (during cross examination).
The government filed a motion to strike testimony of Sheena Siegel, Fiore’s daughter.
Prosecutor: defense put her on the stand and then she wouldn’t answer questions (during cross examination).
Michael Sanft, Fiore’s attorney: She had immunity agreement for campaign finance issues. Court was not aware of agreement.
Siegel went to grand jury thinking she had immunity.
He initially thought the govt would call Siegel as witness.
Says prosecutors created their own mess.
Siegel went to grand jury thinking she had immunity.
He initially thought the govt would call Siegel as witness.
Says prosecutors created their own mess.
Sanft points out he has more experience than these prosecutors & that doesn’t excuse their actions.
Prosecutor: Sanft doesn’t get to dictate how we prosecute case.
Siegel went back on grand jury testimony.
Wasn’t plan to incriminate her.
Sanft was aware of immunity agreement.
Prosecutor: Sanft doesn’t get to dictate how we prosecute case.
Siegel went back on grand jury testimony.
Wasn’t plan to incriminate her.
Sanft was aware of immunity agreement.
Judge: “Is there a way to put the toothpaste back in the tube?”
Prosecutor: I don’t think so.
Prosecutor says immunity agreement was reached between the U.S. Attorney’s office (here in NV) & his team is honoring it. (These prosecutors are from Dept of Justice, not based here.)
Prosecutor: I don’t think so.
Prosecutor says immunity agreement was reached between the U.S. Attorney’s office (here in NV) & his team is honoring it. (These prosecutors are from Dept of Justice, not based here.)
Prosecutor: If they bring Siegel back, they want to submit her grand jury testimony to show that it was different from her testimony during the trial.
Sanft responding. Not opposed to bringing Siegel back. Says he’s not privy to communications between Siegel and the government.
Sanft responding. Not opposed to bringing Siegel back. Says he’s not privy to communications between Siegel and the government.
Recess to try to get in touch with Siegel’s attorneys.
Sanft will try to get in touch with Siegel to see if she is available to come back outside the presence of the jury.
Sanft will try to get in touch with Siegel to see if she is available to come back outside the presence of the jury.
Judge returns.
Says Siegel will be here and her lawyer will be here by 10am.
Judge brings up jury instructions. Reviewing them with attorneys now.
Says Siegel will be here and her lawyer will be here by 10am.
Judge brings up jury instructions. Reviewing them with attorneys now.
Prosecutor: There is no type of organization that will allow someone to commit federal wire fraud.
(Discussing different accounts like campaign, charity, etc.)
Sanft: there is a different distinction. If $ donates to campaign, donor can’t specify exactly what it can be used for.
(Discussing different accounts like campaign, charity, etc.)
Sanft: there is a different distinction. If $ donates to campaign, donor can’t specify exactly what it can be used for.
Judge grants government’s request for specific jury instruction.
Sheena Siegel is back at courthouse w/ attorney.
Outside presence of jury: Judge explains to attorney the government’s motion to strike Siegel’s testimony & why they may want to put her back on the stand.
She wants the attorney to explain the matter to Siegel.
Back at 10:20am.
Outside presence of jury: Judge explains to attorney the government’s motion to strike Siegel’s testimony & why they may want to put her back on the stand.
She wants the attorney to explain the matter to Siegel.
Back at 10:20am.
Sheena Siegel is back on the stand (outside the presence of the jury) with her attorney by her side.
Judge: Yesterday she said she would plead the fifth…emotions were high….
Notes that time has passed.
Federal prosecutor to question her now.
@8NewsNow
Judge: Yesterday she said she would plead the fifth…emotions were high….
Notes that time has passed.
Federal prosecutor to question her now.
@8NewsNow
@8NewsNow Federal prosecutor: Asks if she’ll answer questions (re: finances).
Siegel consults attorney.
Prosecutor: will you answer questions about transfers made from your mom’s PAC to your personal account?
Siegel: I’m gonna plead the 5th.
More questions. She says she’ll plead the 5th.
Siegel consults attorney.
Prosecutor: will you answer questions about transfers made from your mom’s PAC to your personal account?
Siegel: I’m gonna plead the 5th.
More questions. She says she’ll plead the 5th.
@8NewsNow *****Federal prosecutor says Siegel is an unindicted co-conspirator.*****
More questions.
She says she’ll plead the fifth.
Consults lawyer.
Pleads the fifth.
Another question.
Consults lawyer.
Another question.
Pleads the fifth.
More questions.
She says she’ll plead the fifth.
Consults lawyer.
Pleads the fifth.
Another question.
Consults lawyer.
Another question.
Pleads the fifth.
@8NewsNow Attorney says answering questions may open her up to charges and that’s why she is pleading the fifth.
Judge agrees & says she is properly invoking her right.
Prosecutor again says government believes she is co-conspirator.
Questions continue.
She continues to plead the 5th.
Judge agrees & says she is properly invoking her right.
Prosecutor again says government believes she is co-conspirator.
Questions continue.
She continues to plead the 5th.
@8NewsNow Judge explains a witness can’t plead the fifth for every question, just the questions that could incriminate them.
@8NewsNow Judge again agrees Siegel can plead the fifth for additional questions prosecutors asked.
More questions.
Continues to plead the fifth.
Prosecutor: Will you answer questions about whether you paid for plastic surgery with $ your mother gave you?
Siegel: I will plead the fifth.
More questions.
Continues to plead the fifth.
Prosecutor: Will you answer questions about whether you paid for plastic surgery with $ your mother gave you?
Siegel: I will plead the fifth.
@8NewsNow More questions.
More pleading the 5th.
Lawyer: She’s invoking privilege bc this might set her up for wire fraud & conspiracy charges.
Judge agrees again.
Another line of questions about “A Bright Present Foundation.”
Pleads the 5th.
Judge agrees she can invoke privilege.
More pleading the 5th.
Lawyer: She’s invoking privilege bc this might set her up for wire fraud & conspiracy charges.
Judge agrees again.
Another line of questions about “A Bright Present Foundation.”
Pleads the 5th.
Judge agrees she can invoke privilege.
@8NewsNow Also pleads the fifth about whether her grand jury testimony in July of 2024 was accurate.
@8NewsNow Siegel leaves.
Prosecutor argues again to strike her testimony.
Judge taking 15-minute recess before she comes back with final ruling on the matter.
Prosecutor argues again to strike her testimony.
Judge taking 15-minute recess before she comes back with final ruling on the matter.
@8NewsNow Judge Jennifer Dorsey acknowledges this is an unusual situation.
Points to previous ruling about the refusal of a witness to answer questions.
Refers to “heat of everything yesterday.”
Government has taken position she no longer has immunity.
Points to previous ruling about the refusal of a witness to answer questions.
Refers to “heat of everything yesterday.”
Government has taken position she no longer has immunity.
@8NewsNow Judge STRIKES entirety of Sheena Siegel’s testimony.
Says it’s extreme sanction not to be lightly imposed but it would be unfair to government to keep testimony bc she refused to answer questions during cross.
She will instruct jury not to consider anything said/done by Siegel.
Says it’s extreme sanction not to be lightly imposed but it would be unfair to government to keep testimony bc she refused to answer questions during cross.
She will instruct jury not to consider anything said/done by Siegel.
@8NewsNow Judge gives Fiore time to discuss with her attorney whether she wants to take the stand.
Break until 12:15pm.
Break until 12:15pm.
@8NewsNow Fiore asks judge question: expresses concerns about testifying & asks judge if she can ask her questions about her concerns.
Fiore: “I just want you to understand the decision that I’ll be making…”
Says she wants to tell judge reason for her decision.
Outside presence of jury.
Fiore: “I just want you to understand the decision that I’ll be making…”
Says she wants to tell judge reason for her decision.
Outside presence of jury.
@8NewsNow Fiore: I think it’s important as I sat here and watched all the witnesses and the DOJ and my attorney…I think it’s important for it to be clear…
Says she wants to voice her concerns.
Judge asks for clarification from Sanft: “What are we doing?”
Sanft consults with Fiore.
Says she wants to voice her concerns.
Judge asks for clarification from Sanft: “What are we doing?”
Sanft consults with Fiore.
@8NewsNow Sanft: client informed him she’d like to tell the court why she’s making the decision.
Judge: the request is unusual one & my concern is that this has come to the point in the trial that it’s time for the defendant to make the choice…
(continued)
Judge: the request is unusual one & my concern is that this has come to the point in the trial that it’s time for the defendant to make the choice…
(continued)
@8NewsNow Sanft: she wants to express to the court why she is making the decision (assuming it’s NOT to take the stand).
Judge: what is purpose for that?
Sanft: she wants to tell the court why she wants to do what she wants to do…why she came to this conclusion.
Judge: what is purpose for that?
Sanft: she wants to tell the court why she wants to do what she wants to do…why she came to this conclusion.
@8NewsNow Judge asks Fiore how long her statement would be.
Fiore says not long, a few minutes, & she’s “not chatty.”
Judge says she doesn’t want to turn this into a “grandstanding circus.”
Federal prosecutor expresses concerns about Fiore making statement and refers to “grandstanding.”
Fiore says not long, a few minutes, & she’s “not chatty.”
Judge says she doesn’t want to turn this into a “grandstanding circus.”
Federal prosecutor expresses concerns about Fiore making statement and refers to “grandstanding.”
@8NewsNow Judge says this does not appear to be appropriate and she is not inclined to permit it.
Says she would permit brief summary by Fiore’s lawyer. She is giving Sanft a few minutes to consult with Fiore.
Fiore asks judge for 15 minutes.
Judge says okay.
Another break.
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Says she would permit brief summary by Fiore’s lawyer. She is giving Sanft a few minutes to consult with Fiore.
Fiore asks judge for 15 minutes.
Judge says okay.
Another break.
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@8NewsNow Judge: Do you want to testify…?
Fiore: I do not, Your Honor.
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Fiore: I do not, Your Honor.
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@8NewsNow Sanft: making “rule 29” motion…
I don’t believe the government has provided the court enough evidence (referring to specific counts).
Says jury doesn’t have information about differences of charity, campaign and political action committee finances/rules.
Prosecutor responds.
I don’t believe the government has provided the court enough evidence (referring to specific counts).
Says jury doesn’t have information about differences of charity, campaign and political action committee finances/rules.
Prosecutor responds.
@8NewsNow Prosecutor says no money solicited for Alyn Beck statue paid for the statue.
Refers to $5K donation from “Lombardo for Sheriff” campaign for the statue.
Prosecutor addresses other alleged victims & their donations for the statue.
Refers to other government witnesses.
Refers to $5K donation from “Lombardo for Sheriff” campaign for the statue.
Prosecutor addresses other alleged victims & their donations for the statue.
Refers to other government witnesses.
@8NewsNow Prosecutor: Not only was Michele Fiore taking in donations for the Alyn Beck statue…money was coming out of the account as soon as it came in.
Says only Fiore had access to accounts.
$77K charity account raised. None of it was used for the purpose the witness solicited for.
Says only Fiore had access to accounts.
$77K charity account raised. None of it was used for the purpose the witness solicited for.
@8NewsNow Note: ALL of this today has been outside the presence of the jury.
@8NewsNow Prosecutor: February 2020: Ending balance was less than $300 after $77K was raised.
@8NewsNow Sanft: Says Olympia exec testified Olympia paid for statue in its entirety. Exec claimed Fiore knew this.
Says there is no proof Fiore knew this. No email record or written document she was notified.
Says there is no proof Fiore knew this. No email record or written document she was notified.
@8NewsNow Jury in courtroom for first time today.
Judge: Based on evidentiary rulings that have been made, I have struck the entirety of Sheena Siegel’s testimony (& any exhibits presented through her testimony).
Judge explains witness has constitutional right (re: pleading the Fifth).
Judge: Based on evidentiary rulings that have been made, I have struck the entirety of Sheena Siegel’s testimony (& any exhibits presented through her testimony).
Judge explains witness has constitutional right (re: pleading the Fifth).
@8NewsNow Government and defense both rest.
Judge excuses the jury for the day to start fresh tomorrow at 9am with jury instructions and closing arguments.
@8NewsNow
Judge excuses the jury for the day to start fresh tomorrow at 9am with jury instructions and closing arguments.
@8NewsNow
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