Zhongsan Liu
Trial For Recruitment For China Ended in
Guilty Verdict So May 13 Sentencing
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell
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BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
March 30 –
Zhongsan Liu was indicted in
2019 for stealth recruitment
in the US for the Chinese
government. His trial began on
March 15, and Inner City Press
was there.
Liu was
working for or through the
"China Association for
International Exchange of
Personnel" or CAIEP.
On March 15 an
Australian expert Alexander
Joske told the jury that CAIEP
is a Chinese government organ,
though it (like many
at the United Nations)
calls itself a non
governmental organization.
He also testified
about SEFEA, the Chinese State
Administration for Foreign
Expert Affairs.
Lui's
lawyer wanted to voir dire
at least part of Joske's
expertise. U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of
New York Judge Valerie E.
Caproni said it could be done
after the jurors left at 5 pm.
She told the jurors, If there
is any press, which I doubt
there will be, don't read it.
Inner City
Press published the above that
evening, and on March 16 asked
EDNY US Attorney Brion Peace
about his Office's indictment
of five more for spying and
worse for China, see here
including the release on bail
of
Fan
“Frank” Liu,
Matthew
Ziburis and
Shujun Wang.
In the
SDNY trial of Zhongsan Lui, an
FBI agent testified about pole
camera footage from outside
807-809 Anderson Avenue and a
woman in a green or shiny
black jacket. The judge asked
how having a relationship with
her would be prejudicial and
should be kept from the jury.
Late on March 17,
Liu's lawyer wrote to Judge
Caproni complaining that the
US had only just disclosed it
might rest its case on March
18, and said the defense case
should not have to begin until
March 22.
Past 4 pm
on March 18, on the witness
stand was a witness about the
University of Georgia Carl
Vinson Institute of
Government, with a Liang Xiao
document on the screens before
the jurors.
On March 21,
after the US Attorney's Office
rested its case, Liu's lawyer
was arguing to get into
evidence, and into his
upcoming closing argument, a
recorded call with the vice
provost of U Mass Boston. It
was all for naught, for the
defendant and China's scheme:
"ZHONGSAN LIU was convicted of
participating in a conspiracy
to defraud the United States
by obstructing the lawful
functions of the U.S.
Department of State and the
Department of Homeland
Security and with committing
visa fraud."
After Liu's
remand on risk of flight
grounds, his lawyers on March
25 requested reconsideration
and the US on March 29
opposed, calling Liu a
government official with no
ties to the US.
Judge Caproni set
a faster than normal
sentencing date: "Docket Text:
ORDER as to Zhongsan Liu. IT
IS HEREBY ORDERED that Mr. Liu
is scheduled for sentencing on
Friday, May 13, 2022 at 11:30
a.m., in Courtroom 443,
Thurgood Marshall U.S.
Courthouse, 40 Foley Square,
New York, NY 10007. Sentencing
submissions from the parties
are due not later than Friday,
May 6, 2022. The parties will
receive an expedited
Presentence Investigation
Report prior to the deadline
for sentencing submissions,
and, should they have any
objections to the report, they
may make them directly to the
Court at sentencing
(Sentencing set for 5/13/2022
at 11:30 AM in Courtroom 443,
40 Centre Street, New York, NY
10007 before Judge Valerie E.
Caproni.). (Signed by Judge
Valerie E. Caproni on
3/30/22)." Watch this site.
The case is US v.
Liu, 19-cr-804 (Caproni).
***
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