Manafort Trial: tensions between Judge Ellis and prosecution team "boiled over" again late Monday

[emulatorloo]

Rick Gates says he lied for years at Manafort’s request and stole from him in the process

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/rick-gates-says-he-lied-for-years-at-manaforts-request-and-stole-from-him-in-the-process/2018/08/06/898df9ce-99b0-11e8-8d5e-c6c594024954_story.html


Tension between the judge and the prosecution team boiled over again late Monday as prosecutors attempted to introduce Gates’s passport as evidence of his travels to Ukraine and Cyprus. Ellis interrupted them.

“Let’s get to the heart of the matter,” he scowled.

“Judge, we’ve been at the heart —” Andres interrupted.

“Just listen to me!” Ellis bellowed from the bench.

Ellis told Andres he was looking for ways to “expedite.” Andres responded, “We’re doing everything we can to move the trial along.”

After sending the jury out of the courtroom, Ellis tore into Andres for what he called unnecessary questions about billionaires involved in Ukrainian politics.

Andres pushed back angrily, prompting a heated argument that went on for more than 10 minutes.

Ellis repeatedly criticized Andres for not making eye contact with him, saying, “Look at me” and suggesting that the prosecutor “looked down as if to say, ‘That’s BS.’ ”

Andres responded with frustration, saying, “You continue to interpret our reactions in some way,” when the lawyers don’t do the same to the judge.

Ellis disputed that he had limited prosecutors significantly or interrupted them often, saying the record would support him on that.

“I will stand by the record as well,” Andres retorted.

“All right, then you will lose,” Ellis responded.

[enough]

1. When even the judges are infected with the reality TV ego virus, we may be done for.

I’ve had hope for Judge Ellis to run an honest courtroom, but this is starting to sound unhinged. Hope Andres isn’t counting on building a record for appeal. He seems to be actively pushing the judge. Doesn’t seem like smart trial strategy, goading the ref.

[Princess Turandot]

6. I think this was the first time that the prosecutor was so direct with him...

It must be very frustrating when the judge won't let you follow the trial strategy you planned to employ. Ellis is obsessed with the amount of time the trial should take. At one point last week, when they were going over the witness schedule, he suggested that they cut two hours out of the testimony of the accounting firm personnel, without even knowing what exactly they were going to say. He also would not let them take the jury through some of their exhibits, although he eventually did let them enter the stuff into evidence.

Thank goodness that he's not the judge on the money laundering case.

[panader0]

2. This Ellis guy is too caught up in himself to be fair.

I understand the need to move things along, but Ellis goes beyond that.
The "Rocket Docket" seems almost to taking sides.
ETA: perhaps the rapid pace of the trial could help by having a verdict
before the midterms.

[dhol82]

3. Wondering if the judge has been bought off?

[former9thward]

4. A judge complains when the prosecution presents irrelevant witnesses?

And asks questions which have nothing to do with the case? And that is being bought off?

[emulatorloo]

7. Which witnesses are irrelevant?

[former9thward]

13. The ones testifying about his clothing habits.

As the judge pointed out, that is not against the law. And more importantly it is not evidence on the elements of the charge against Manafort. It is testimony intended to prejudice the jury against the defendant which is what prosecutors love to do.

[emulatorloo]

14. The large wire transfers from Manafort's Cypress accounts and the fake invoices are indeed relevant

Those testifying were able to confirm both - payments from foreign bank accounts for goods and services (from foreign accts that Manafort lied to his accountants about and lied to the IRS about and where Manafort hid his money), and fraudulent invoices vendors that somebody created to make personal transactions appear to be business expenses. Those are facts very relevant to the case and something the jury needs to know about.

[uponit7771]

10. Hmmm, why are they introducing Gates passport? Also, aren't the judges supposed to see the evidence

... or approve of it before hand?

Seems like there's some pretrial stuff that should've happened to make sure the prosecution can present their case without being hampered

[TomSlick]

11. Not usually.

My question is whether the Judge is interposing these comments without an objection from the defense attorneys. If he is, he will be telegraphing to the jury that he is on the defense side.

[Takket]

5. it seems kind of absurd...................

that there is such a heavy burden of proof on the prosecution in criminal cases, making it quite difficult to convict someone (after all a person's freedom is on the line), yet the judge seems to be handcuffing the prosecution's ability to present an air tight case against Manafort. Maybe they don't need 1000 pieces of proof, maybe only 500 will convince the jury, but if you have 1000, why not use them???

If Manafort "gets off" because the jury thinks the prosecution didn't "prove their case" there is no retrying him. They get one shot at this, and the judge seems to be trying to make it more difficult. Why?

[BlueTsunami2018]

8. This judge sounds like a real j.o.

What the hell is up with these people?

[a kennedy]

9. This can't be good is it??? I thought I heard this judge was a prosecutor judge.....

[bettyellen]

12. I heard he gets snippy with pretty much everyone, except maybe the jurors.

A lot of the pre-trial stuff he was really rough in the defense for trying to cause delays, he was pretty rude when he slapped those down too.