By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Order Podcast Song II
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 21 - In the Lev Parnas and Andrey Kukushkin jury trial, the first witnesses testified on the afternoon of October 13. Inner City Press live tweeted it here and here. Vlog here.
On the morning of October 15, before the jury came in, the defense successfully argued to have the jury instructed that the Times Square "street fight / racist" video shown the day before is not relevant and is excluded. Inner City Press live tweeted it here, podcast here.
After that, Adam Laxalt and exhibits fights, which Inner City Press live tweeted here and below. New song here.
On October 18 to 1 pm, there was more cross examiation of Van Rensburg, and the beginning on Caroline Booth. Inner City Press live tweeted here (podcast here) (vlog here)
During the afternoon of October 18, Bondy cross examined Rep Pete Sessions' (now Liz Cheney's) staffer Caroline Boothe, mortgage broker Ross and lawyer / notary Preminger. The question of Parnas testifying arose. Inner City Press live tweeted it here.
On the morning of October 19, an argument out of hearing of the jury about what Parnas could be cross examined about, if he testified. Inner City Press live tweeted it here (and podcast here)
On the afternoon of October 19, Ahearn of America First Action was put on the stand by the defense, with whether Parnas will follow him to the stand still left open. Inner City Press live tweeted here and below.
On October 20 - drum roll - the time for Parnas to decide to testify or not came. And... he did not. Inner City Press live tweeted it here: (and podcast here)
And on October 21, the summations or closing arguments; Inner City Press live tweeted here and here:
now closing arguments in US v. Parnas & Kukushkin Assistant US Attorney Hagen "Sidearm" Scotten: Here is what Ms. Van Rensburg did - exactly what Parnas told her to do. Here are the phone records. Special Agent Thomas found this form in Mr. Parnas' home, for joining Trump's campaign finance committee
AUSA Scotten: Joe Ahearn testified that Parnas knew the rule against foreign nationals contributing. As to Kukushkin, maybe he wasn't interested in the news, but he kept up with what was important to him: cannabis and illegal campaign contributions
AUSA Scotten: Here is Muraviev, mooning the Statue of Liberty. This is who Kukushkin was working with. Kukushkin must have known he was a bad man.
AUSA Scotten concludes with, You'll return the only verdicts supported by the evidence, guilty.
OK - now Parnas' closing arguments in US v. Parnas & Kukushkin, by Parnas' lawyer Joseph Bondy.
Parnas' lawyer Bondy: I'm going to start with a story. A monk lived at the base of a mountain in China. He said, I wonder what it's like up there. He asked those who came down. He went up - and realized no one else could replace his judgment. Like you here.
Bondy: I don't have a bunch of graphics. I'm going to speak to you with my mouth. We have fewer and fewer criminal trials in this country. I'm going to start with what Mr. Hagen told you. He showed the statue of liberty. Isn't there a reason for some to moon it?
Bondy: You're going to reach a verdict today, or whenever. And it will go. Did you uphold the law? You are the last defense. Use your power, as you could like to have that power used. In America sometimes we don't realize the value of things until they're gone
Bondy: I wrote about you on Post-Its. We studied you. What did you see? Lev had some good ideas. He was over his head, but he had good ideas: cannabis, the War on Drugs. He brought a message of legalization into the President's lair
Bondy: Madeleine Espinosa told you she couldn't show where the money came from. Count 5 and 6, this FEC affidavit. The judge will tell you it has to be material to be a violation. The FEC keeps the thresholds internal, confidential. The FEC witness refused to say
Bondy: Lev's home looked like a home. The FBI found a safe - oh my God! They cut in half. And found nothing, only propaganda from the Trump campaign.
Judge Oetken, to jurors: Can you put off lunch for a bit? Yes? You may proceed, Mr. Bondy. Bondy: Thank you. So Joe Ahearn advised Lev how to ask about cannabis, but vaguely.
Bondy: When I sit down, Mr. Kukushkin's counsel will I'm sure try to portray Lev as a con artist.
Judge Oetken: Let's take lunch. Then we'll hear from Mr. Kukushkin's counsel, then the government's rebuttal [by AUSA Roos].
Now summation by Kukushkin's lawyer Gerald Lefcourt: Look what they said, Kukushkin needs hand holding on simply issues. It's a great opportunity for us. [Pause] That's what this case is about. Why would you want to be in a joint venture with a retard?
Lefcourt: The testimony of Kimberly Espinoza, she said at first the money came from the coffee company, Strauss Coffee. So what do you have? Muraview and Kukushkin got ripped off. They other party was totally pretending. They thought my client was retarded.
Now before AUSA Roos' rebuttal, AUSA Hagen "Sidearm" Scotten quoted another AUSA, look at the rug, this is Federal court, this should not happen to - directing it at Gerald Lefcourt. He says, we get no remedy, we're the government, that's just how it is.
Now AUSA Roos, on rebuttal, is bringing it to a close. Roos: This issue of the FEC not making public a rule about materiality is just a distraction. Judge Oetken will tell you want materiality is.
AUSA Roos: I'm about to sit down. Pay attention, follow Judge Oetken's instructions and use your common sense. Now is the time to find them guilty.
Judge Oetken: The final step is my reading of the instructions. I'm going into the witness box, to take off my mask.
Judge Oetken: I'm sorry that we've kept you so late but I am almost done. Only discuss the case when all jurors are present. You'll begin in the morning. See you then. Adjourned.
On October 11 Kukushkin asked to exclude a slew of Government Exhibits, full 8-page letter on Patreon here.
On October 5 Judge Oetken held the final pre-trial conference in advance of October 12 jury selection. Inner City Press live tweeted it here and below (podcast here)
Late on October 7 the US Attorney's Office has written to Judge Oetken seeking rulings in advance to admit exhibits including "The Inaugural Committee Articles, the FEC Complaint Article, the Time cover, and the Russian Roots Emails." Full letter on Patreon here. And now, song here.
On September 10, Igor "The Glue" Fruman pleaded guilty. Inner City Press live tweeted it here (with vlog; podcast here)
The case is US v. Parnas, et al., 19-cr-00725 (Oetken).
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