by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
FEDERAL COURTHOUSE, March 29 – Pras Michel on trial on charges of working for Jho Low to lobby the Obama then Trump administrations.
He also met with China about Guo Wengui / Miles Kwok, detained last week along with his chief of staff Yvette Wang on fraud charges - Inner City Press story here, stand-up here. Jho Low book here.
The trial was to begin on March 27. But on March 29, it was still in jury selection. Inner City Press was in the courtroom. A sample:
Prospective juror 0287, originally from Guyana, has a brother who worked for the World Bank, as head of the Africa Division and assistant to the World Bank president.
Prospective juror 0566 filled out the questionnaire and said he knows of Steve Bannon, and has an opinion about him. Could he be fair? He has been excused.
Judge Kollar-Kotelly told Michel's counsel to ask fewer questions, that voir dire is taking too long. Michel was at defense table in a grey suit and red tie, gold watch and jewelry. During the break, he and others went down to the fifth floor. (And Inner City Press went, for now, to cover another trial). Watch this site.
On March 24, the business day before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia trial, Michel's lawyers put in a supplemental witness list including... Steve Bannon. List on Patreon here.
On March 25, Michel asked the Court to have Guo Wengui brought to testify: "The testimony of Wengui, is material and necessary to Defendant for a successful defense.. Service for Guo Wengui has been attempted at MDC; however, Process Servicer was informed “Absolutely no legal papers are allowed to be served in premises for this case.”
Petitioner requests this court issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus Ad Testificandum to Herberto Tellez the Warden of MDC, Brooklyn, New York in Kings County, to bring Guo Wengui before this court at a date and time forthcoming to testify as a witness in petitioner’s trial, and to return Guo Wengui to the state penitentiary immediately on the conclusion of his testimony." Full filing on Patreon here.
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