The jury in the Virginia trial for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort ended its first day of deliberations with no verdict — but a few questions.
Just before 5 p.m., Judge T.S. Ellis III of the Eastern District of Virginia received a note from the court officer, to which he let out an exasperated sigh.
Soon after, lawyers for Manafort and special counsel Robert Mueller’s team came in.
Manafort then arrived, looking tired in a black suit, before court came into session at around 5:05 p.m. The jury of six men and six women entered soon after.
[Also read: Manafort’s lawyers blame Rick Gates in closing argument]
In its first question, the jury asked if a person had to file a foreign bank report, known as an FBAR, if they owned less than 50 percent of the account and didn’t have signatory authority, but did have authority to disburse funds. Ellis reread an earlier instruction to the jury, which said ownership had to be more than 50 percent.
Manfort’s defense team had previously argued it was Manafort’s consulting firm, not he himself, that should have filed the FBAR reports, and he only owned 50 percent of the company for three of the four years charged by the government.
Though the accounts were under the names of corporate entities in Cyprus, some had Manafort’s name on them, government evidence shows.
The jury also wanted the definition of a “shelf company” and to have “reasonable doubt” redefined.
A shelf company is a company or corporation that has had no activity since being created, but is set up and ready for someone to take over.
Ellis told jurors to rely on their recollection of the evidence and testimony given during the trial to answer the question.
Manafort’s former business partner and key government witness Richard Gates brought up “shelf companies” during his testimony, characterizing some of the overseas entities as such.
[More: Here’s a full wrap of Gates’ testimony in Manafort trial]
The government is not required to prove the definite guilt beyond all possible doubt, Ellis then told the jury about their third question, but simply reasonable doubt.
“Doubt based on reason,” he explained.
The jury finally asked if the exhibits list could be amended to include which indictment each exhibit was related to — and Ellis declined.
The jury will meet again Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. to begin day two of deliberations.
As he exited the courthouse, Kevin Downing, an attorney for Manafort, told the press gathered that it was “a very good day” for his client.
Manafort was charged by Mueller — who is overseeing the federal government’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election — earlier this year for filing false tax returns, failing to report his interest in foreign bank accounts, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and bank fraud. The bank fraud charges are the most serious, each carrying maximum penalties of up to 30 years in prison.
In closing arguments, Mueller’s team painted Manafort as a sophisticated criminal who lied for years.
The defense painted their client as a victim for trusting the team he built around himself, including Gates.
“Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it, and lied to get more money when he didn’t,” special counsel prosecutor Greg Andres said Wednesday.
Ellis reminded jurors Thursday not to discuss the trial with anyone and to “put it out of your mind.”
“I think it will be easier for me to do because I have boring dinner tonight,” Ellis said to laughs, but declined to say where the dinner was because he said he feared people would show up to talk to him.
