Manafort facing obstruction of justice charge News
© WikiMedia Robert Mueller (The White House from Washington, DC)
Manafort facing obstruction of justice charge

Prosecutors added new obstruction of justice charges [superseding indictment, PDF] Friday against President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort, his third indictment since Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed to probe into possible Russian influence in US political affairs.

The charges also include the addition of a new defendant—Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian partner of Manafort’s—for trying to persuade witnesses to lie to the jury.

The grand jury says that Manafort and Kilimnik worked together to “knowingly and intentionally attempt[] to corruptly persuade” witnesses in official proceedings, and the two worked together to assemble teams that would advocate for the former Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych.

A hearing has been scheduled in the US District Court for the District of Columbia [official website] for June 15.

These new charges come in addition to two other indictments: the first [JURIST report] in October for conspiracy to launder money, making false statements, and conspiracy against the US; and the second [JURIST report] in February for false individual income tax returns, failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts, bank fraud, and others.

On Monday, Special Counsel Robert Mueller filed a motion accusing Manafort of using an encrypted messaging application to tamper with a witness [JURIST report].

THIS DAY @ LAW

38 Santee Sioux hanged by US for rebellion

On December 26, 1862, 38 Santee Sioux men were hanged in a mass execution for their roles in a rebellion against US authorities in Minnesota which left hundreds dead and made refugees of some 40,000 white settlers. Government annuities promised under a treaty with the Sioux had failed to arrive on schedule and credit for purchases was not advanced in the meantime, threatening the tribe with starvation. The Santee Sioux Tribe's members were deported first to South Dakota and ultimately to Nebraska, where they remain today. Learn more about the 1862 Minnesota Sioux Rebellion.

Louis XVI put on trial during French Revolution

On December 26, 1792, Romain de Sèze, a defense attorney for deposed King Louis XVI, presented a defense of his client. The former King was on trial before a French Revolutionary court on thirty-three charges, including treason and other crimes against the state. He was convicted on January 15, 1793 executed by guillotine on the following January 21.