NOT HOW THIS WORKS
Manafort Jurors Not Sequestered – ‘Mingled Freely in the Courthouse’ as Trump Attempts to Sway Decision
Reporters are sounding the alarm that the jurors in the Paul Manafort case may be unduly influenced by President Trump’s remarks, and by other events and interactions.
NBC News political reporter Benjy Sarlin tweeted the concerns of legal experts:
Legal experts: Is it kinda weird the jury isn’t sequestered while the President of the United States is tweeting his take on the case?
— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) August 17, 2018
NBC News’ intelligence and national security reporter Ken Dilanian responded, revealing the stunning news that jurors were not sequestered and have been mingling “freely in the courthouse elevators, cafeteria and hallways with reporters and spectators.”
The jury not only wasn’t sequestered—jurors mingled freely in the courthouse elevators, cafeteria and hallways with reporters and spectators. I’ve never seen anything like it.
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) August 17, 2018
In fact, the jurors are home now for the weekend so they can try to avoid the news but it’s nearly impossible to avoid President Trump, who offered these comments clearly intended to sway the jury today:
“It’s very sad what they’ve done to Paul Manafort,” President Trump says as jury deliberates on fraud charges against the former Trump campaign manager. pic.twitter.com/vZwSLVQ9tY
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 17, 2018
ABC News reporter Katherine Faulders notes Manafort’s attorney is playing up Trump’s comments:
In response to POTUS comments this morning, Manafort attorney Kevin Downing says “it’s great to have the support of the President of the United States”
— Katherine Faulders (@KFaulders) August 17, 2018
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