Arbitrate T.S. Ellis, the man presiding over the criminal trial of former Trump push chief Paul Manafort, said Friday that he has received intimidations about the case — and now travels with protection from the U.S. Marshal Rite.
Speaking at a hearing outside of jurors’ presence, Ellis also affirmed he has no plan to release the names and home addresses of those 12 living soul now deliberating Manafort’s fate because he is worried about their “harmony and safety.”
“I had no idea this case would excite these sentiments, I can tell you that frankly,” Ellis said, as jurors continued their number two day of deliberations in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia. “I don’t feel right if I manumit their names.”
“I have no reason to believe that if those reputations are unsealed there won’t be threats against them,” Ellis said of the jurors, who do not father protection by U.S. Marshals.
Media outlets including NBC News had requested the names and talks of the jurors be unsealed.
They also were asking Ellis to unseal debates Ellis had with prosecutors and defense lawyers outside of the earshot of others in court during Manafort’s enquiry, where he is charged with bank fraud and tax crimes.
Ellis articulate he will not release the transcript of one sidebar conference that relates to an running investigation, but did say that after the trial ends he will unseal photocopies related to the administration of the jury.
Manafort is being prosecuted by members of the body of special counsel Robert Mueller.
Mueller is investigating possible constraint of justice by President Donald Trump in the inquiry into Russian obstruction in the 2016 presidential election, and possible collusion by members of Trump’s campaign with that Kremlin-backed travail.
Trump has adamantly denied any wrongdoing.
The case against Manafort identify withs to income he earned while working for a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine, in the vanguard he became involved in the Trump campaign. Manafort is also accused of untruthful to banks in requests for loans, which prosecutors claim he obtained to be prolonged funding his lavish lifestyle after income from the Ukrainian orgy dried up.
Shortly after Ellis said he would not disclose their identifies, jurors sent out a note to the judge, asking to be allowed to end their deliberations at 5 p.m., because one of the jurors has a group engagement.
Ellis plans to reconvene court at 4:50 p.m. to ask jurors what sometimes they want to resume deliberations Monday.