The judge presiding over former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort’s trial resumed the trial mid-Friday afternoon after a delay of several hours that was expected to force prosecutors to rest their case next week, instead of today as planned.
U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III resumed the trial shortly after 2 p.m., after he indicated that he needed time to deal with other casework.
[Opinion: In Paul Manafort trial, Judge T.S. Ellis III makes himself the star]
Hours earlier, Ellis said the recess would last until 1:45 p.m., and told jurors that other matters had “intruded.” He reminded the jury that while Manafort’s trial requires sharp focus and attention, he has many other cases on his docket.
He also reminded the 12-member jury not to discuss the case with anyone, and reminded jurors that Manafort is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“Keep an open mind until all the evidence is in,” Ellis said.
Ellis first told the court there would be a 15-minute recess, and returned to the courtroom after nearly 45 minutes. He then brought the jury in and notified them there would be another recess spanning more than two hours.
But he said the trial would continue in the afternoon, and said he expects “we will make progress in that regard.”
The trial’s ninth day was expected to kick off at 9:30 a.m., but jurors were not brought into the courtroom until roughly 11:05 a.m., and delays lasted more than three hours after that.
Manafort is facing 18 counts of bank and tax fraud. He has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors initially expected to rest their case today, but the morning delays likely affected their timeline. Four witnesses for the government remain, including Dennis Raico and James Brennan, who both worked at First Citizens Bank. Both were granted immunity in exchange for their testimony.
