SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Oct 18 - In the Lev Parnas and
Andrey Kukushkin jury trial,
the first witnesses testified
on the afternoon of October
13. Inner City Press live
tweeted it here
and here.
Vlog here.
On October
14, Parnas' lawyer Joseph Bondy accused the
US Attorney's Office of racism, and AUSA
Hagen Scotten of threatening him with or
about a sidearm. Inner City Press live
tweeted it here
podcast here
On
the morning of October
15, before the jury came in, the
defense successfully argued to
have the jury instructed that the
Times Square
"street fight / racist"
video shown the day
before is not
relevant and is excluded.
Inner City Press
live tweeted
it here,
podcast here.
On October 18
to 1 pm, there
was more cross
examiation of
Van Rensburg,
and the beginning on
Caroline
Booth.
Inner City Press
live tweeted here
(podcast here)
US v.
Parnas &
Kukushkin Week
2 opens with
argument about
admissibility
of exhibits,
Inner City
Press will
#CourtHouseCast
live
Defense
lawyer: We are
showing what
is actually
going on.
Assistant US
Attorney: They
are attempting
to show other
good act, to
say, Kukushkin
was going this
other
legitimate
thing over
there. We
don't think
it's
admissible.
Defense:
Last night we
got more 3500
material. It
suggests the
government is
going to try
to argue that
because $1.4
million came
out, and $1 M
of it came
from the loan
[from
Muraviev] - it
would be
misleading. We
have a two
inch thick
3500 material.
We need time
AUSA
Hagen
"Sidearm"
Scotten: We do
hope to get to
Ms. Espinosa
today, as our
third witness.
The premise of
Ms. Friedman's
argument is
erroneous. Ms.
Espinosa will
only
testifying
about bank
records. She
took out her
calculator and
find out the
$1 M of
Muraviev
Defense:
Ms. Espinosa
seems to
believe this
money came
from Strauss
coffee. Then
the credit
card bill is
paid on
December 24,
2018. Only
yesterday we
learned that
Ms. Espinosa
changed her
view. It's not
a new
calculation -
she's going to
say, I was
wrong until
now
AUSA:
We've been
telling them
about Ms.
Espinosa's
thinking by
showing them
her notes.
Defense:
There's a
question how
this second
round of money
was used. If
the evidence
comes in, it
will spill
over. I
understand
Rule 29. This
was triggered
by last
night's 3500
Judge
Oetken: You've
all made some
interesting
points which I
will consider.
But let's
bring the jury
in. [Jury
enters,
witness Deanna
Van Rensburg
re-takes the
stand]
Bondy: Let me
read this:
Upon the
application of
Damian
Williams, US
Attorney...
Bondy
(reading) "it
is ordered Van
Rensburg
testify but no
testimony so
compelled may
be used
against Van
Rensburg in
any criminal
case" - can
you it pick it
up from there?
Van Rensburg:
Except in case
of perjury.
Bondy: You can
be prosecuted
for perjury?
A: Yes.
Bondy:
Mr. Parnas
told you he
was not an
email guy? Van
Rensburg: I
don't
remember.
Bondy: See
DV5, for
identification
purposes only.
Judge
Oetken:
Witness only.
Bondy: Did
they come a
time you were
put on Igor
Fruman's AmEx
Black card? A:
As an admin.
Bondy: Did
they come a
time that you
became aware
that Mr.
Parnas had
dinner with
President
Trump and Jack
Nichlaus?
Van Rensburg:
No. Bondy: But
you know who
Jack Nichlaus
is, right? Van
Rensburg: A
golfer. [Echo
of current
stand off
about Bronx
golf course]
Bondy:
Do you
remember last
week you said
you sent
emojis in
response
without
reading the
thing sent to
you? ASUA:
Objection --
Bondy:
Sidebar? Let
me proceed:
You replied
with a thumbs
up & a 'ha
ha ha I got
you.' Van
Rensburg: I
meant his
typo, that I
understood
Bondy:
Do you
remember
emailing about
the Nord
Stream 2
pipeline and
NATO unity?
Van Rensburg:
I do not.
Bondy: Read
this and look
up when you're
done...
Bondy: You
sent Mr.
Parnas a tweet
from Senator
Cotton about
Nord Stream 2?
Van Rensburg:
I don't
recall. Bondy:
But did you do
it? AUSA:
Objection.
Judge Oetken:
Sustained.
Now
Bondy's
cross-examination
turned back to
Big Andrey
Muraviev.
Judge Oetken
calls a break
before
re-direct.
Courtroom
clock has been
re-set at his
request, he
notes.
Next US
witness:
Caroline Booth
who works for
Liz Cheney as
finance
director. Went
to SMU.
Interned for
Rep. Pete
Sessions.
AUSA Flodr:
What did you
do as his
communications
director?
Booth: I
handled
contacts with
the Dallas
press, and the
national
press.
AUSA Flodr:
Just yes or
no, did you
have any idea
where Mr.
Parnas' money
came from?
Booth: No.
Now:
Judge Oekten:
Cross?
Bondy: When
you came to
work for
Senator
Sessions -
Booth:
Congressman.
Sorry. Habit.
Bondy: How
many interns
did he have?
Booth: 20 or
so.
Judge Oetken
calls lunch
break for
jurors then
asks lawyers
about timing.
AUSA chides
Bondy for
cross longer
than
predicted. Ross will
happen, and Espinosa
will start
today, but not
get to cross.
On October 11
Kukushkin asked to exclude a
slew of Government Exhibits,
full 8-page letter on Patreon
here.
On October 5
Judge Oetken held the final
pre-trial conference in
advance of October 12 jury
selection. Inner City Press
live tweeted it here
and below (podcast here)
Late on October 7
the US Attorney's Office has
written to Judge Oetken
seeking rulings in advance to
admit exhibits including "The
Inaugural Committee Articles,
the FEC Complaint Article, the
Time cover, and the Russian
Root Emails." Full letter on
Patreon here.
And now, song here.
On September 10,
Igor "The Glue" Fruman pleaded
guilty. Inner City Press live
tweeted it here
(with vlog;
podcast here)
The
case is US
v. Parnas, et
al.,
19-cr-00725
(Oetken).
***
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