By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell book
BBC - Honduras - CIA Trial book - NY Mag
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 20 – IThe cross examination of Mark Russell had been expected to be the show-down. Russell had told the prosecutors that he, Britton Worthen and Kim Brady had held an "intervention" with Trevor Milton, telling he couldn't just keep tweeting, and saying whatever he wanted on podcast.
Russell said they had change the passwords to Nikola's social media accounts, but that Milton had prevailed on an underling to regain access.
As Kurt Wheelock tweeted the dialogue out, Nikola skeptics chimed in, while its supporters - one of whom was in Germany with the incoming CEO and the chair - tweet more positive news with gathering speed, as if in a parallel world.
When Marc Mukasey did the cross, he asked for the specifics of the interviewing: what day? What time? Russell said he didn't remember the date, and it was "during the work day." The jury may have been left with the impression that it didn't, in fact, happen at all.
Mukasey asked Russell how much the stock he took as pay was worth. At first Russell said 19 to 20 million - then corrected to to 190 to 200 million. This, jurors noticed. Some thought, he should have been prepared for that. But perhaps there was no good way to say it.
When the cross was over, and Stephanie Amzallag the Nikola social media manager took the stand, Kurt ran out onto Foley Square to again try to ask Trevor Milton a question.
This time, he did not turn his cell phone camera on. His point was, Do you want to respond to what Russell said? Bondi began coming over to again cut it off, the man who bought his own cemetery in Virginia.
Milton said, If you would report both sides, I might talk to you. I'm reporting what both sides say in the courtroom, Kurt said. Milton disagreed. So Kurt asked, The intervention, did it happen? Milton laughed. Maybe one had to.
Kurt cut across Foley Square to the International Court of Trade, and Team Trevor headed south, as Kurt would again. More on Patreon here.
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