National Law Journal has gone ahead and reported that Manafort was found guilty on eight of eighteen counts. As of this writing the jury has yet to be dismissed.
Paul Manafort, the former chairman of President Donald Trump’s campaign, was found guilty Tuesday of tax and bank fraud, along with failing to disclose foreign bank accounts, a verdict that handed the special counsel a conviction in the first trial to emerge from its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
A jury of six men and six women deliberated for four days before convicting Manafort on eight of 18 criminal counts alleging he hid money in overseas bank accounts, avoided paying U.S. taxes and defrauded banks in pursuit of loans. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis declared a mistrial on the 10 remaining counts after polling the jury, with each of its members indicated that further deliberations would not resolve differences among the jurors
There was a second note from the jury to the judge, indicating that they will deliberate until 615pm. There is a report from MSNBC/CBS/ABC that it’s now 10/18 with 8 counts guilty, the remaining counts hung.
Earlier note:
Manafort’s defense was vainly hoping for a completely hung jury as they seemed to be near a decision. The appearance at that moment was that the majority of counts have been found guilty, with only one count in question.
Rick Gates did what Michael Cohen appears to be doing in NYC. Perhaps it will take that second trial to move Manafort to cooperate. Synchronicity’s working overtime today.
Here are the charges Paul Manafort faces.
- Subscribing to false income tax returns (5 counts)
- Failing to file foreign bank account reports (4 counts)
- Bank fraud and bank fraud conspiracy (4 counts bank fraud; 5 counts of bank fraud conspiracy)
2/ The fact that the jury is still deliberating as to a single count they have not agreed upon suggests that no "compromise" has been reached. Generally a "compromise verdict" comes when there is a juror who is holding out on all or most counts.
3/ A conviction on several counts (or more) would be a complete defeat for Manafort. But given how little his lawyers had to work with, his legal team did well if they got a hung jury on a single count if you grade on a curve. There was overwhelming evidence of his guilt.
4/ As a practical matter, the failure to reach a verdict on the single count will only matter if Manafort is found not guilty on the other 17 counts, which is very unlikely. The judge can take into account Manafort's conduct as to the 18th count if he concludes Manafort did it.
5/ Overall, this is great news for the prosecution. It's hard to imagine a good result for Manafort at this point. /end
A hard rain falling outside the Alexandria courthouse
And in New York there’s reports of a Cohen plea deal.
Still early days, depending on how one interprets the details of the guilty plea and its relation to the “potential bank fraud, tax fraud and campaign finance violations.” Reports are that Cohen is looking at 3-4 years of prison time.
An unhinged speech might be in the offing...