Judge delays ex-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's criminal trial until July 31
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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)
AP
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 120,000 documents.
Manafort’s trial on bank and tax fraud charges had been scheduled to begin Wednesday.
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 to the defense, including the names of up to five who will be granted immunity for their testimony.Â
In all, the government is expected to call about 30 witnesses in the case. Â
Ellis also unsealed the identities of five government witnesses who have been provided immunity in exchange for their testimony.
Until Monday, their names had been protected from disclosure by the court.
The witnesses are James Brennan, Donna Duggan, Conor O’Brien, Cindy Laporta and Dennis Raico.
Their relationships to Manafort were not immediately clear.
More: Mueller seeks immunity, secrecy for up to 5 witnesses in Paul Manafort trial
More: Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager, pleads not guilty; trial set for Sept. 17
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