Special counsel Robert Mueller is reportedly displeased with the judge overseeing the case against Paul Manafort after he sent three potential jurors home this week.
"On July 25, 2018, the Court issued an Order identifying 30 prospective jurors that should 'be excused or stricken for cause based on their responses to the questionnaire,'" Mueller wrote in a letter he sent to Judge T.S. Ellis III on Thursday, according to Law & Crime. "In that same order, the Court invited the parties to file written objections if they disagree with the excusing or striking of any of those jurors."
"[Pu]rsuant to the Court's Order, the government respectfully requests that the Court not strike for cause the following jurors at this time: Jurors 0121, 0143, and 0154," Mueller continued. "Given that each of these jurors affirmed that they would be able 'decide the case fairly and impartially based solely on the evidence presented and the Court's instructions of law' . . . the government believes any concerns the Court has as to their ability to be impartial would be best addressed during voir dire."
Ellis previously addressed "voir dire," the process by which prospective members of the jury are questioned by the judge or an attorney to find if they are suitable, in his ruling on Manafort's request to move the trial to Roanoke.
"At voir dire, the question is not whether prospective jurors 'know about the case' or have 'formed an opinion,' but whether the court can select jurors who can 'lay aside' any 'pre-trial opinion' and 'render a verdict based on the evidence president in court,'" he said.
"Given the extensive jury questionnaire that will be filled out by all prospective jurors in advance of the Court's oral voir dire, there is at this time reaonsable assurance that fair and imparital jurors can be impaneled," the judge concluded. "If this turns out not to be the case, defendant's motion to transfer venue will warrant reconsideration."
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