Thank you SP. Your observations are right on the money.
Sometimes I wonder (when it is not reported) if cross examination was delayed because the Judge knows it will take some time, and the hours remaining Friday were short. Most Judges with whom I am familiar would much rather start the weekend earlier than holding the jury past rush hour traffic. Most that I know also like to begin a new week fresh. They don’t like to split the direct examination, or the cross examination, if they can prevent it. Judge Ellis, with some of his comments pertaining to the length of trial, reminds me of Judge Lee West in the Western District of Oklahoma. Before beginning a civil trial, the opposing lawyer and I told Judge West that we thought that it would take 3 weeks because of the 55 witnesses. Judge West promptly told us it would take only 5 days - 2 days for each side, and one day for the jury. Years later I asked him why, and he said that his experience was that all three week trials have reversible error on appeal, and 5 day trials are rarely reversed. Hence, he was controlling his reversal rate by controlling the number of decisions he was required to make. His “schedule” insisted on lawyers crystallizing the most salient points to make. There was rarely window dressing.
Interesting insight by sharing your story about Judge Lee West. Did he have a different formula for criminal trials - taking away someone’s freedom, that’s a different story.
For Manafort, I theorize a combination. Friday afternoon trial, give the jury some time off b/c next week is going to be a long one. The prosecution tactically called the witness to leave the “facts” soaking in their minds as well as having the media talking about it all weekend with no rebuttal.
Let’s stay on top of this trial.