Jury Deliberations For Manafort Trial Head Into Overtime - Reports

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2018) Jurors in the US Federal trial of President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort said they would like to continue deliberations up to 45 minutes more after the court closes, media reported.

The jury said they would stay in the courtroom until 6:15 p. m. EST (2200 GMT), NBC news reported on Monday.

The request may indicate the verdict in the case is coming soon after three days of reviewing witnesses testimonies and all other evidence, including documents and financial applications. Fox News earlier reported that the jury could deliver the verdict on Monday.

In the meantime, Manafort's legal team met with Judge T.S. Elis in private earlier in the day.

The deliberations in the case started last week on Thursday and by the weekend, the jurors prepared a set of questions for the judge, including the question on how to define "reasonable doubt.

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Manafort is facing several charges of tax and bank fraud which is part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. US authorities began monitoring Manafort and his financial dealings when he joined the election campaign of Donald Trump. The former aide did consultancy work in Ukraine and kept non-disclosed earnings in bank accounts of other foreign countries.

Russia denied any kind of interference in the US democratic process and refuted the allegations of collusion with the Trump campaign.