LEGAL/PAUL MANAFORT/ROBERT MUELLER/TRUMP PEOPLE: “The defense rested its case Tuesday [8-14-18] morning in the trial against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort without calling any witnesses, setting the stage for closing arguments Wednesday [8-15-18] morning. Manafort spoke for the first time in court during the trial, saying he will not testify. Manafort told Judge T.S. Ellis that he would not testify during a brief questioning at the podium before the jury was brought in the room. Manafort is not required to testify because of his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Ellis made this clear during his brief conversation with Manafort…On his way out of the courthouse, defense attorney Kevin Downing said that the defense rested its case because ‘the government has not met its burden of proof.’ Closing arguments are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, and Ellis encouraged both sides to keep them under two hours. Manafort faces 18 charges of tax and banking crimes and has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. The case stands as the first major test for special counsel Robert Mueller, who is currently leading the probe into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election — including whether there was any collusion between President Donald Trump campaign associates and the Kremlin.”
–Katelyn Polantz, Sophie Tatum, Liz Stark, Marshall Cohen and Kara Scannell, “Defense rests in Paul Manafort trial; closing arguments Wednesday,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, August 14, 2018 2:46 pm