RUSSIANS CALL MUELLER'S BLUFF
INDICTING PEOPLE WHO YOU BELIEVE WILL NEVER APPEAR DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK
Special council Robert Mueller made headlines when he indicted 13 Russians and several Russian companies, claiming they attempted to interfere with the 2016 election. The indictment which was entered on February 16, 2018 was heralded as evidence of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. No one believed, including Mueller, that any Russians would respond to the indictments.
On May 9, Eric Dubelier, a partner at the Washington law firm of Reed Smith, representing Concord Management and Consulting, pleaded not-guilty and asked for a speedy trial. They also asked for full disclosure of the evidence against them.
Federal Law requires that a trial, if asked for by the defendant, must start within 70 days of the indictment.
The Mueller group asked for the trial to be delayed as they were not ready to go to trial and that they did not want to disclose their evidence. The Judge refused the request.
On May 16, 2018, Mueller threatened to overwhelm the court with 2 terabytes of Russian social media without translation. If it was not translated how did they come to their indictment decision?That should make for an interesting trial. He also asked to postpone the trial indefinitely.
It is generally the policy that when an indictment is brought down the prosecution is ready to proceed with a trial. Most of time the defendant wants a delay to examine the disclosed information.
The Judge has not yet ruled on the latest request.
If the judge rules that the trial must commence and all evidence is disclosed to the defendants it puts Mueller in the position of put up or shut up.
It is more likely that Mueller used the indictments to shape public opinion rather than a solid indictment. It will be interesting to see how this proceeds.
On May 9, Eric Dubelier, a partner at the Washington law firm of Reed Smith, representing Concord Management and Consulting, pleaded not-guilty and asked for a speedy trial. They also asked for full disclosure of the evidence against them.
Federal Law requires that a trial, if asked for by the defendant, must start within 70 days of the indictment.
The Mueller group asked for the trial to be delayed as they were not ready to go to trial and that they did not want to disclose their evidence. The Judge refused the request.
On May 16, 2018, Mueller threatened to overwhelm the court with 2 terabytes of Russian social media without translation. If it was not translated how did they come to their indictment decision?That should make for an interesting trial. He also asked to postpone the trial indefinitely.
It is generally the policy that when an indictment is brought down the prosecution is ready to proceed with a trial. Most of time the defendant wants a delay to examine the disclosed information.
The Judge has not yet ruled on the latest request.
If the judge rules that the trial must commence and all evidence is disclosed to the defendants it puts Mueller in the position of put up or shut up.
It is more likely that Mueller used the indictments to shape public opinion rather than a solid indictment. It will be interesting to see how this proceeds.
As of June 30 the federal judge has barred any evidence from being shared with the defendants lawyers. The trial has been postponed indefinably. This is highly unusual and possibly illegal.
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