Mueller Asks Immunity For Five Witnesses In Paul Manafort Trial
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team is asking a judge to grant immunity and protect identity of five potential witnesses set to testify against Paul Manafort in a court document filed July 17 by Mueller’s team.
The filings may be opening a window into strategy for the trial beginning in less than a week. Five potential witnesses are currently unknown to the public and are not being charged with this matter, according to the court document filed in the U.S District Court in Alexandria, VA. Prosecutors are asking for the court to compel the witnesses to testify.
“Disclosing the motions would reveal those individuals’ involvement in the investigation and the trial, thereby creating the risk of their undue harassment.”
Former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort’s trial, set to begin July 25 in Alexandria, VA, is said to be one of the most closely watched criminal trials of the year. He is tried on the charges of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and tax crimes. Manafort has not pleaded guilty and continues to deny all charges. However, former business associate Richard Gates has pleaded guilty to similar charges.
Here it is — Paul Manafort's mugshot pic.twitter.com/AEe7JTvqXU
— Rachel Weiner (@rachelweinerwp) July 12, 2018
Manafort is currently held without bail in Alexandria, after the revoking of his $10 million release last month by a federal judge after Mueller accused him of tampering with a potential witness. This came after almost eight months of attempts by Manafort to lighten house arrest restrictions after being charged and pleading not guilty, according to CNN.
Mueller asked Judge T.S. Ellis to give witnesses “use immunity,” preventing prosecutors from using the witnesses’ testimony to incriminate them. Special counsel is not asking for “transactional immunity” or “blanket immunity” for the witnesses which would protect the witnesses from any prosecution for their lifetime in regard to issues mentioned in trial.
Without the immunity, the document states, the witnesses will not testify or will refuse to answer questions by citing their Fifth Amendment right against forcibly incriminating themselves. If granted immunity but their identity is disclosed before trial, Mueller’s team fears more harassment for the witnesses and requested the information remain private.
Recognizing that beginning trial and calling witnesses to testify will release their identity and use of immunity, Mueller’s team agrees the motion would no longer apply but is highly concerned for the witnesses’ overall safety until that time.
“Sealing is also appropriate because the information contained in the motions could lead to representational harm,” prosecutors wrote.
