ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CN) – Heading into a second day of deliberations Friday, Paul Manafort’s jury is learning quickly that the presiding judge has few indulgences for them.
When the 12-person panel paused their efforts just before 5 p.m. Thursday to have four issues clarified by the court, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III shut down two of their questions.
Declining to define the term “shelf company,” Ellis told the jury to rely on their own memory of the evidence.
Over the course of Manafort’s nearly two-week trial, the term came up in the testimony of several financiers who took the stand for the government, as well as that of star witness Rick Gates. They spoke about a shelf company created by a lawyer in Cypus to control several foreign bank accounts for Manafort that he failed to disclose to U.S. tax authorities.
Judge Ellis also turned down a request by the jury for an updated exhibit list, saying they must rely on their memories to connect exhibits to charges.
One question that Ellis did answer was their request for a definition of reasonable doubt. He said the term is defined by “a doubt based on reason” and emphasized that the government is not obligated to prove guilt “beyond all possible doubt.”
Defense attorney Richard Westling told jurors in his closing statement a day earlier that it isn’t enough to believe that Manafort is “likely guilty” or even that it is “highly likely” he is guilty.
The jury also asked the court to explain some of the finer points behind foreign bank account registration, or FBAR forms.
Evincing a possible focus on what responsibility Manafort’s wife might have had with regard to the accounts, the jury asked if someone is required to fill out an FBAR form if they own less than 50 percent of a foreign bank account and don’t have signatory authority – but do have access to direct disbursement.
https://twitter.com/JuddLegum/status/1032004684901494787
Paul Manafort has been convicted on 5 counts of tax fraud. Judge declares a mistrial on 10 counts.
Breaking: Paul Manafort has been found guilty of tax fraud
Breaking: Jury has reached a verdict on 8 counts and deadlocked on 10 counts
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1031991862725435392
https://twitter.com/kpolantz/status/1031974318685806592
https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1031968060264071168
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1031930300413235200
https://twitter.com/TPM/status/1031924006297985024
https://twitter.com/RVAwonk/status/1031929696878059520
https://twitter.com/DrDenaGrayson/status/1031928535487791104
https://twitter.com/KenDilanianNBC/status/1031929131108368384
https://twitter.com/ArkEngineer60/status/1031921923217866752
https://twitter.com/3ChicsPolitico/status/1031912886493487104
https://twitter.com/RawStory/status/1031912215924891648
https://twitter.com/ABCPolitics/status/1031905095938699264
https://twitter.com/MaddowBlog/status/1031716251742203904
https://twitter.com/BBuchman_CNS/status/1031908429495971840
https://twitter.com/BBuchman_CNS/status/1031871007731138560
https://twitter.com/BBuchman_CNS/status/1031666622359056384
https://twitter.com/MarshallCohen/status/1031505003012399105
https://twitter.com/ushadrons/status/1031653215245357061
https://twitter.com/BBuchman_CNS/status/1031645037292146689
What is going on with that jury? They’ve had enough time to convict that mofo. #Manafortverdict
https://twitter.com/ShimonPro/status/1031545192933978113
https://twitter.com/TelfortPR/status/1031579964490039297
How can the “national disgrace, himself” call anything or anybody a ;national disgrace’?
TRASH
https://twitter.com/CNNPolitics/status/1031507666781331457
https://twitter.com/miamimama305/status/1031561951057469440
https://twitter.com/CindyDPishere/status/1031562496698724352
https://twitter.com/ironstowe/status/1031565587024162816
https://twitter.com/gollum1419_g/status/1031566098376925184
https://twitter.com/Courtartist/status/1030480973920718848
https://twitter.com/TPM/status/1030530407064850432
Such utter bullshit…………………
https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1030474648201453573
https://twitter.com/BBuchman_CNS/status/1030511781670780928
https://twitter.com/kelly2277/status/1030526510648762369
https://twitter.com/BBuchman_CNS/status/1030529656636801025
https://twitter.com/BBuchman_CNS/status/1030528571280969729
https://twitter.com/emibava/status/1030312982226653184
https://twitter.com/michaelzelniker/status/1030268009762369537
https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1030457493124771840
He is so smart.