Reuters
- Paul Manafort’s legal team was reportedly trying to secure a plea deal last week for Manafort in his second trial in Washington, DC.
- Manafort’s lawyers were discussing a possible plea with the special counsel Robert Mueller’s team last week, as a jury in Virginia moved toward convicting Manafort on eight counts of tax and bank fraud.
- But talks broke down when Mueller raised several issues with Manafort’s lawyers.
- A plea deal does not necessarily include a cooperation agreement. Instead, most defendants plead guilty to avoid facing a long and expensive trial in exchange for a reduced sentence, if prosecutors agree to such a deal.
- Legal experts say the most likely reason Manafort has not flipped is the possibility of a presidential pardon.
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As a Virginia jury was moving toward convicting him on eight counts of financial fraud last week, Paul Manafort’s lawyers were reportedly in talks with prosecutors about securing a plea deal before his second trial in Washington, DC.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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