Judge delays ex-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's criminal trial until July 31

Kevin Johnson | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Judge jails ex-Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort AP reporter Chad Day explains that President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort is headed to jail after a federal judge revoked his house arrest, citing newly filed obstruction of justice charges. (June 15)

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The criminal trial of former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort was delayed until next week to give defense attorneys additional time to review thousands of documents recently provided by prosecutors.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III comes on the eve of the bank and tax fraud case that was to open Wednesday with jury selection.

Ellis reset jury selection for July 31 and urged Manafort’s team to expedite its review of an estimated 120,000 documents.

Manafort, dressed in a green jail jumpsuit, was in the courtroom as his attorneys argued for the delay. He did not speak during the hearing but did acknowledge his wife with a smile during a brief break.

"These 120,000 pages are really at the heart of the issue," Manafort lawyer Kevin Downing argued Monday.

Prosecutors claimed that a large portion of the new documents – about 40,000 pages of information – were culled from electronic devices of former Trump campaign deputy Rick Gates, who was initially charged with Manafort but is now cooperating with the government.

The material includes photographs and possibly notes that prosecutors believe were not relevant to the government's case. Downing, however, said the defense needed to make its own determination about the documents' relevance.

“There are equities and reasons on both sides,” Ellis said Monday, explaining his decision.

The judge, however, said he would move forward Tuesday with the previously scheduled plan to assemble prospective jurors so that they can begin completing questionnaires to assist the court and attorneys in identifying possible conflicts that may disqualify some panelists.

Ellis said a jury of 12 and four alternates would ultimately be seated to consider the case.

Ellis has ordered the government to provide a complete list of witnesses, expected to number about 30.

Among that group are five witnesses whose identities had not been previously disclosed because they have been provided immunity in exchange for their testimony.

The witnesses are James Brennan, Donna Duggan, Conor O’Brien, Cindy Laporta and Dennis Raico.

Their relationships to Manafort are largely linked to financial transactions the government plans to question at trial.

During trial, prosecutors said they would not be offering any evidence of coordination or collusion with the Russian government, a central pursuit of Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller. But Greg Andres, a top Mueller deputy, said the government opposed a defense request that would restrict specific references to Viktor Yanukovych, the former Ukranian president allied with Russia who was Manafort’s “principal benefactor.”

Andres asserted that Manafort made “millions and millions of dollars” in his association with Yanukovych. He said Manafort was paid by Ukranian olegarchs who routed money to Manafort-controlled accounts in Cyprus.

While the defense has sought to restrict prosecutors from associating Manafort with the Trump campaign, the judge said he would allow some limited references.

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