The Paul Manafort Circus just keeps getting circus-ier:
BREAKING: Paul Manafort's defense rests without presenting a case or calling any witnesses https://t.co/5KkpG14LjE pic.twitter.com/zUFk5vk77k
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 14, 2018
Breaking: Paul Manafort's team will not present a case nor call any witnesses in his defense. The defense rested at 11:53 am
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) August 14, 2018
Welp.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) August 14, 2018
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) August 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/wupton/status/1029398952435752960
What’s going on?
Bold strategy. https://t.co/DSDHzF1Rs3
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) August 14, 2018
— Jeremiah Rosen (@JeremiahRosen2) August 14, 2018
It’s certainly an interesting one.
The defense is that there’s NO DEFENSE?
— JA in Texas (@joanneintexas) August 14, 2018
For what it’s worth, here’s Popehat’s take on the situation:
Ok. So. Why would the Manafort defense team not put on a defense, and how unusual is it?
It's not unusual at all. It's common. Here are some possible reasons why. /1
— AccomplishedTheHat (@Popehat) August 14, 2018
/2 Remember it's the prosecution's burden to prove things beyond a reasonable doubt. When the defense puts on a case, there's always a subtle tendency for the jury to start putting a burden on the defense, which you don't want.https://t.co/dInKgnq8kz
— AccomplishedTheHat (@Popehat) August 14, 2018
/3 If your defense case is marginal anyway, resting is a way to convey to the jury a level of confidence that the government has nothing. It's a way to emphasize that it's the government's burden. https://t.co/3n2q71JXVJ
— AccomplishedTheHat (@Popehat) August 14, 2018
/4 Another subtle problem with putting on a defense case is that it emphasizes when the defendant doesn't testify. Defendant isn't required to, prosecution isn't allowed to call attention to it, but juries notice.
— AccomplishedTheHat (@Popehat) August 14, 2018
/5 Next, one of the toughest things to learn as a trial lawyer is to sit down when you've gotten something done as well as it's going to get done. They may have accomplished on cross-examination everything they reasonably could in a defense case . . . .
— AccomplishedTheHat (@Popehat) August 14, 2018
But others have a much simpler explanation: Manafort’s team is betting on an assist from Donald Trump.
— Stealthgirl21 (@stealthgirl21) August 14, 2018
Looking for that pardon
— DOLL (@ddwwilder) August 14, 2018
Banking on a Trump pardon?
— Edward (@Ed__III) August 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/aashishshah/status/1029399627504803840
Trump will announce Manafort's pardon at 5:15 on Friday afternoon.
— Jax (@WhyAsk65) August 14, 2018
Stay tuned!
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