Donald Trump refuses to say if he'll pardon Paul Manafort
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox
Get our free Inside Washington email
The jury in the financial fraud trial of Donald Trump‘s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has finished its third day of deliberations without a verdict.
Judge TS Ellis said the jury would reconvene on Tuesday morning.
The case is the first to go to trial stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 US presidential election, although the charges largely predate Mr Manafort's five months working on President Trump's successful campaign.
Mr Manafort faces five counts of filing false tax returns, four counts of failing to disclose offshore bank accounts, and nine counts of bank fraud. If convicted on all the charges, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. Mr Manafort denies all the charges against him.
A conviction would undermine efforts by Trump and some Republican llegislators to paint Mr Mueller's Russia inquiry as a political witch hunt, while an acquittal would be a setback for the special counsel.
The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation
Show all 17
As the jury deliberated, Mr Trump accused Mr Mueller's team of “enjoying ruining people's lives” and trying to influence the elections in November when Republicans will try to hold on to control of Congress.
“Mueller's Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!” Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.
Mr Trump's tweets were in reference to a New York Times report that White House Counsel Don McGahn had cooperated extensively with Mr Mueller.
The jury should be reconvening any time now, with Judge TS Ellis having told told the jury to put the case out their mind over the weekend and not do any research into the trial.
Meanwhile, outside the courtroom and unrelated, The New York Times reports that federal authorities investigating whether President Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, potentially committed bank and tax fraud and have zeroed in on well over $20 million in loans obtained by taxi businesses that he and his family own. Prosecutors are said to be considering charges, possibly by the end of August.
The Cohen investigation was referred to the Southern District of New York by Mr Mueller.
Among the questions that the jury have asked so far is to get Judge Ellis to define what is meant by "reasonable doubt" - as in the jury need to believe the charges are proved "beyond reasonable doubt" in order to convict.
The defense are said to have taken this as a good sign for Mr Manafort, although the prosecutors would likely make the same argument.
Another headline on Friday that might grab the attention of jurors was about Judge Ellis disclosing he had received threats related to the trial and was being protected by US marshals. The jury was not present when he made those remarks.
"In a high profile case, the general assumption is that some outside information may accidentally reach a jury, despite jurors' best efforts to avoid relevant news," said jury consultant Roy Futterman.
Just a reminder that Mr Manafort has a second trial coming up in mid-September. That trial, set in the District of Columbia, involves allegations he acted as an unregistered foreign agent for Ukrainian interests and made false statements to the US government.
Kevin Downing, Mr Manafort's defense attorney, just left the courthouse. On his way out, he answered a couple of questions, and said his client "feels good."
Here's the exchange:
Question: Any updates?
Downing: "Well, the jury is still out deliberating."
Meanwhile, Judge TS Ellis has held two sealed conferences with prosecutors and the defense today. One lasting 10 minutes, the other lasting seven minutes.
The record of each of those conversations will be unsealed after the trial is over.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies