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Ultimatum Disasturbator from Second Star to the left (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Disasturbator
#264326: Dec 14th 2018 at 2:07:10 PM

Although it depends on the severity of the case and the Judge overseeing the trial,I wouldn't risk it,not worth the death glares and awkwardness that would come from it,better to get it over and done with

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Silasw A procrastination in of itself from a handcart heading to Hell Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#264327: Dec 14th 2018 at 2:36:47 PM

If the judge is feelin grumpy than mentioning jury nullification could be a way to get in trouble for contempt of court.

"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#264328: Dec 14th 2018 at 2:46:14 PM

Budget director Mulvaney has been named acting White House Chief of Staff.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/14/politics/donald-trump-mick-mulvaney-chief-of-staff/index.html

Hopefully Kelly's departure ushers in more chaos and ineffective policy/electoral planning.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Ultimatum Disasturbator from Second Star to the left (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Disasturbator
#264329: Dec 14th 2018 at 2:46:37 PM

The judge could only do that if they explicitly told the jury not to do so by court order,as I understand it anyway

[up][up]

Edited by Ultimatum on Dec 14th 2018 at 2:46:53 AM

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RainehDaze Figure of Hourai from Scotland (Ten years in the joint) Relationship Status: Serial head-patter
Figure of Hourai
#264330: Dec 14th 2018 at 3:20:40 PM

The judge can specifically tell the jury that they're not allowed to acquit someone?

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LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#264331: Dec 14th 2018 at 3:21:45 PM

Jury Nullification isn't the same as an acquittal

Oh really when?
RainehDaze Figure of Hourai from Scotland (Ten years in the joint) Relationship Status: Serial head-patter
Figure of Hourai
#264332: Dec 14th 2018 at 3:24:51 PM

Not in the sense of what the jury does, though, surely?

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DeMarquis Who Am I? from Hell, USA Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Buried in snow, waiting for spring
Who Am I?
#264333: Dec 14th 2018 at 3:29:08 PM

Jury nullification lies in the intent of the jury, not the objective decision. If they aquit (or convict) because they disagree with the way the law is written, then it's jury nullification. But how would anyone determine that, unless the Jury itself says so (and why would they do that?).

"We learn from history that we do not learn from history."
Ingonyama Gay Pagan Geek from San Francisco Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Oh my word! I'm gay!
Gay Pagan Geek
#264334: Dec 14th 2018 at 3:45:00 PM

Isn't Mulvaney the one who was put in charge of the Consumer Protection Bureau, despite the Vacancy Act saying that the deputy director Obama had appointed could and should be moved into the position as had originally been intended? And despite said deputy director challenging the appointment, it went through, so Mulvaney had two roles?

In which case, that means 45 has to now fill two positions. I can only imagine what awful replacement he'll nominate for the CPB.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#264336: Dec 14th 2018 at 4:00:39 PM

A[up] Is this a variant of Torch the Franchise and Run?

Interesting..... (the title is also amazing)

Mystery Mueller mayhem at a Washington court

Fridays at the DC federal courthouse are typically days of high alert for the press corps trying to discern what special counsel Robert Mueller's next legal action will be.

But this Friday, court officials went to extreme measures to ensure it was as difficult as possible to figure out what Mueller's team was doing as the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held a secret and mysterious argument about a grand jury subpoena challenge.

An entire floor of the courthouse was closed to the public and press for more than an hour. During that time, attorneys secretly entered the courthouse to argue before three federal appellate judges over a grand jury subpoena.

The mystery of the subpoena appeal appears to date back to early September, when CNN witnessed several lawyers from Mueller's office entering a courtroom to argue against an unknown defense team before a trial-level judge who oversees federal grand jury-related cases.

Clearly, a challenge related to Mueller's grand jury investigation was underway.

Shortly after, that judge, Chief Judge Beryl Howell of the DC District Court, ruled on a case related to a grand jury subpoena, and the losing party attempted to appeal the ruling. The appellate court batted the case back down to Howell, who held a second sealed hearing on October 5. Though CNN was locked out of the courtroom while the arguments took place, the hearing featured the same team from Mueller's office as before, which included top criminal law appellate lawyer Michael Dreeben.

Mueller's office declined to comment on the hearings.

That same day Mueller's team clashed in a sealed courtroom with an unknown opponent, Howell issued another ruling on the same grand jury subpoena challenge she had decided before, sending the losing party back to the appellate court to ask for reconsideration.

Politico a few days later overheard an attorney at the appellate court discussing sealed Mueller court filings — and the mysterious grand jury challenge got its argument date set before a three-judge panel at the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.

Argument day arrived Friday.

Typically, DC Circuit Court arguments run smoothly, one after another until three cases have been argued publicly, starting at 9:30 am in a large, portrait-lined courtroom on the Fifth Floor of the federal courthouse on Constitution Avenue. But after Circuit judges David Tatel, Thomas Griffith and Stephen William — who coincidentally has written two books on Russian history — heard an immigration-related case Friday morning, the courthouse security went into lockdown mode.

Tatel, Griffith and Williams took a brief recess, indicating they'd return to the courtroom shortly.

Then, security officers cleared the appeals courtroom, allowing only about a dozen law clerks working for federal judges to stay behind, including at least one who assists Howell with her cases.

Security guards also cleared the vestibule to the courtroom and checked the coat closet where attorneys coming to listen to arguments stash their belongings. They locked the door leading to the attorneys' lounge on that floor and shooed the more than 20 reporters prowling the hall away from the elevator bank and told them to vacate the nearby stairwells. At one point, even an elevator wouldn't open its doors on the fifth floor.

The entire level of the building on which the appeals court is housed was locked down.

For more than an hour, the press waited, staking out stairwells and exits. The gaggle of law clerks dispersed about an hour after the arguments started, and then silence. No recognizable attorneys were spotted coming in and out of the courtroom or even the building.

No sign that it was Mueller's office. No sign of defense counsel. The courthouse security had ushered the lawyers into and out of the building for their secret hearing completely under cover. The sealed hearing stayed confidential.

And then, about 10 minutes after the court activity appeared to wrap for the day, a black Justice Department car rolled into Mueller's office building, bringing attorneys including Dreeben and Zainab Ahmad back to their home base.

Edited by megaeliz on Dec 14th 2018 at 7:03:15 AM

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#264337: Dec 14th 2018 at 4:20:44 PM

I hate, hate, HATE all of this.

Courts should be open to the public. The ONLY circumstances I’m okay with closed court like this are to protect rape victims. Other than that? No. Absolutely not.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#264338: Dec 14th 2018 at 4:31:25 PM

[up] Personally, I have a hunch on what it might be. I have very little in actual evidence to support this, but I think someone important is fighting a subpoena.

What if it's Trump?

Edited by megaeliz on Dec 14th 2018 at 7:34:24 AM

Ultimatum Disasturbator from Second Star to the left (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Disasturbator
#264339: Dec 14th 2018 at 4:31:56 PM

A closed court says a lot about how they'll operate, they don't want people to scrutinise their actions and it's somehow not the public interest ,it should really be constitutionally be illegal unless unless there are exceptional circumstances involved such as mentioned above

Get someone in there with a concealed phone and tweet proceedings

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fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#264340: Dec 14th 2018 at 4:34:47 PM

I fear that trump will do much the same thing if he loses 2020.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#264341: Dec 14th 2018 at 4:40:07 PM

Suspiciously Specific Denial much?

For the record, there were MANY people who wanted to be the White House Chief of Staff. Mick M will do a GREAT job!

Edited by megaeliz on Dec 14th 2018 at 7:40:32 AM

unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#264342: Dec 14th 2018 at 5:19:22 PM

On the other hand, people can make public hearing into shows and kinda blow up things out of proportion,so I can get why they will do that.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#264343: Dec 14th 2018 at 5:20:50 PM

Nope. Fear of media coverage is NOT a valid reason to close the courts. Because you could use that as an excuse to keep literally any important decision or case totally secret.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from Second Star to the left (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Disasturbator
#264344: Dec 14th 2018 at 5:25:49 PM

I've frequently heard them use national security for having proceedings kept private,which probably has some validity,unlike say what's probably happening now

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CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#264345: Dec 14th 2018 at 5:32:04 PM

I disagree.

Anyone who testifies against Trump could be subject to severe harassment.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from a handcart heading to Hell Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#264347: Dec 14th 2018 at 5:46:59 PM

Also they kinda need juror anonymity so as to prevent witness tampering.

"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
PresidentStalkeyes The Best Worst Psychonaut from United Kingdom of England-land Since: Feb, 2016 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
The Best Worst Psychonaut
#264348: Dec 14th 2018 at 5:51:24 PM

So there's a mystery trial happening that no-one knows what's going on other than the fact that Mueller is involved?

I need reminding, because the investigation's been happening for some time - has Mueller taken anyone into court before now? I'm probably mistaken but I thought it's just been questioning, plea-negotiating and digging into affairs so far.

"If you think like a child, you will do a child's work."
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from a handcart heading to Hell Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#264349: Dec 14th 2018 at 5:57:06 PM

It might not be a trial, it could just be a subpoena being issued and appealed against.

"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#264350: Dec 14th 2018 at 6:06:21 PM

I'd very much like to know what this is all about but the Trumpstapo and brigade of fixers he's got in his employ would turn whatever is going on into a circus. This goes against every grain of my desire for openness and freedom of information but the administration as well as GOP has shown no respect for the law or due process.

So I'm willing to trust there's a reason for all this.

Hell, Manafort was contacted by Trump parties and convinced to break his oath on the (probably false) promise of a pardon.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Dec 14th 2018 at 6:07:29 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.

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