ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The 12-member jury in Paul Manafort’s bank and tax fraud trial began deliberations for the third day Monday as the trial stretches into its fourth week.
U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III convened the jury around 9:30 a.m., when a court employee called the roll for the six men and six women. He also asked them once again whether they had refrained from discussing or researching the case — a task that may have been made more difficult given President Trump’s comments about his former campaign chairman Friday.
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Jurors left the ninth floor courtroom several minutes later to continue discussing Manafort’s fate.
Manafort is facing 18 counts of tax and bank fraud, and his trial is the first stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.
Ellis notified prosecutors and Manafort’s defense team once the jury left the room that all bench conferences would be unsealed at the conclusion of the case.
However, the names of the jurors and one other item, which the special counsel requested be kept private, will remain under seal. A coalition of seven media organizations asked Ellis to release the names of the 12 jurors, but he denied their request Friday and revealed he had received “threats” himself.
Noticeably absent from this morning’s brief proceedings was Greg Andres, a member of Mueller’s team.
Ellis told the courtroom he hopes Andres is not ill.
“He’s fine, your honor,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Uzo Asonye, another member of the prosecution, responded. No further details were given as to Andres’ whereabouts.
