Manafort Files Motions Claiming That Media Leaks Have Invalidated Indictments, Violated His Right To Fair Trial

Courthouse News reports:

In a series of motions filed Monday night, an attorney for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort argued that media reports featuring leaks from anonymous government officials have spoiled his chances at a fair trial and violated his constitutional rights.

Over eight separate filings, Manafort lead attorney Kevin Downing requests U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III consider the leak-based reports cause to invalidate indictments secured by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

According to Downing, Manafort has been “the target of an apparent leak campaign conducted by numerous unidentified government officials” and these “improper disclosures of confidential grand jury information and potentially classified materials” has violated his client’s Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights to due process and an impartial trial.