As tweeted out by John Haughey, U.S. Navy veteran, University of Wyoming graduate, a working journalist since 1978. National affairs reporter for The Epoch Times. Haughey is in the courtroom. Presented in chronological order beginning this morning with the first tweet from the courtroom:
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Jury selection is underway Monday morning in former Clinton Campaign attorney Michael Sussmann’s trial for allegedly lying to the FBI about the Trump Organization’s links with a Russian bank.
#Sussmann trial begins Monday in Washington, D.C., with jury selection underway this morning. The former #Clinton campaign attorney is charged with making a false statement when he conveyed documents to the FBI purporting links between the #Trump Organization and a Russian bank.
Sussmann’s legal team, led by Sean Berkowitz, objected to an accountant whose firm did former FBI General Counsel Jim Baker being on the jury.
There will be a 36-juror pool for the trial, which is expected to last at least two weeks. Thus far, 23 have been selected. Special Prosecutor John #Durham‘s team objected to a Virginia Tech program coordinator who had attended the same school as Hillary Clinton from the jury.
Jury selection in #Clinton attorney Michael #Sussmann‘s trial for making a false statement to the FBI will continue into the afternoon in Judge Christopher Cooper’s U.S. District Courtroom in Washington, D.C.
#Sussman trial jury selection resumes at 1:35 pm. The defense team was successful in having the accountant excused because her firm did former FBI counsel Jim Baker’s taxes.
More than 30 DC residents have been tabbed thus far to potentially sit on the jury for former Clinton attorney Michael #Sussman‘s trial. Judge Christopher Cooper, Prosecutor Michael Keilty, and defense attorney Sean Berkowitz each asking the same questions of potential jurors.
Judge Cooper just dismissed a mortician from the jury pool because it would cause a hardship for his business. “I can’t predict death. When I do (work), I am the last responder.”
Either Cooper, Keilty, or Berkowitz — or sometimes all three — have asked all 40 potential jurors thus far if they had “strong feelings” about the 2016 presidential election, reminding them that the #Clinton campaign is not on trial in this case.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys also asking juror candidates their views on the CIA and law enforcement, especially the FBI. Several acknowledged having friends or family in the FBI and
Court in recess for 20 minutes before beginning the final selection of 12 jurors from a pool of 38 garnered from today’s proceedings. There are so many potential jurors, the court will need to be cleared of the audience to seat them all.
38 juror candidates include an illustrator, graphic artist, security guard, risk compliance attorney, client service associate, Sierra Club organizer, trade show marketer, Smithsonian curator, project manager, energy lobbyist, non-attorney lawfirm partner, and submarine engineer
Judge Cooper clearing the court to seat all 38 juror candidates. Among those dismissed earlier is a woman whose birthday is Wednesday. Asked if she “could be fair to government” if selected for jury duty on her birthday, she said: “It could be difficult.”
The 38 juror candidates will be whittled to 16 with 12 to sit for the trial and four alternates. Likely to be “struck” by prosecutors is a Sierra Club employee who expressed strong antipathy to former President Donald Trump and the FBI because it “dismantled the Black Panthers.”
Another potential juror likely on prosecutors’ “strike” list is a woman who works for a trade show publisher who expressed “strong feelings” about former President Trump. When asked if she thought she could be impartial in matters related to Trump, said said, “No, I do not.”
Judge Cooper said he calls this part of jury selection “musical chairs” as jurors are struck and/or selected which, for some reason, requires them to change seats. Prosecutors have just asked for more time in presenting their “wish list” of jurors
Members of #Sussmann‘s nine-member legal team and several of Special Prosecutor John #Durham‘s five attorneys are sorting through documents, presumably answered questionnaires from the remaining 38 juror candidates.
Hard to say who is in and who is out. Juror candidates, all identified by number, are being asked to stand or sit when their number is called … about 10 standing as attorneys confer.
#Durham‘s team and #Sussmann‘s attorneys have agreed on a 12-member jury with four alternates. They are being sworn in now.
Cooper tells the jury: “Picking a jury is more of an art than a science. A lot of work went into this. Go home and get a good night’s sleep and be back here at 9 a.m. tomorrow.”
Former Perkins Cove attorney and #Clinton Campaign General Counsel Marc Elias and FBI Special Agent David Martin, who leads the agency’s Cyber Technical Analysis Unit Chief, will be among witnesses testifying Tuesday.
Prosecutors said one witness cannot testify this week because he has been diagnosed with COVID. Cooper, noting infection rates are increasing but people aren’t getting sick as frequently, said nevertheless, “We could be forced to take a break” if rates continue to increase.
O.J.’s Jurors were so fair & impartial. Maybe we could bring them in. “If the gloves don’t fit” !!!!!