by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Song Substack
FEDERAL COURTHOUSE, July 18– Pras Michel's trial started with jury selection on March 27 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.
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. Pras Guo for Jho Low trial song here.
On April 26, a day after the jury asked about the Obama Victory Fund, Pras Michel was convicted on all counts.
On July 18, Pras Michel was found eligible for free / taxpayer funded counsel: "MINUTE ORDER as to PRAKAZREL MICHEL (1): The Court held an ascertainment of counsel hearing in this matter on July 17, 2023. Government counsel, defense counsel, and Defendant himself were present via Zoom. Defendant indicated that he did not intend to continue to retain present defense counsel and renewed his pro se request for the appointment of an Assistant Federal Public Defender. Upon review of Defendant's financial affidavit, and after further discussion with Defendant under seal, the Court agreed that Defendant currently qualifies for appointed counsel. The Court will consider a motion to withdraw upon the appearance of new counsel. The Court directed the appointment of counsel to be effected on or before August 21, 2023. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on July 18, 2023."
Back on the eve of jury selection, Michel filed his list of 216 exhibits, including "77 Elliot Broidy WhatsApp Message, Interview of Steve Wynn 8/31/2020; Proffer of Pakazrel “Pras” Michel; Email Pollack to Pras re: pre-indictment resolution." Full list on Patreon here.
Inner City Press live tweeted the Michel trial opening, and first witnesses. On Sunday April 9 Michel filed this: "the defense requests that the prosecution grant statutory immunity to Mr. White or, in the alternative, agree to dismiss the election law counts against Mr. Michel if the denial of statutory immunity is more important to the government than getting a conviction on the election law counts" Filing on Patreon here.
On April 18, first Jeff Sessions (whom the CCP wanted to lobby to extradite Miles Guo Wengui) then Pras Michel himself took the stand. Michel claimed that the Jho Low funds were for a photo with Obama, not campaign contributions. He admitted his work on trying to get Miles Guo Wengui extradited - while Sessions said he could not remember Guo’s name "had it not been refreshed to me."
More on Substack here
Meanwhile, "the Court more formally DENIES Defendant's April 18, 2023 oral motion for a mistrial. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on April 18, 2023."
Watch this site.
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