OK- suited defendant in Magistrates Court @sdnylive: US v Robert Kurlander,arrested at 7am.
Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below
Kurlander has a Florida lawyer, Kaplan.
Judge: You are charged with stealing personal property and transporting interstate.
[Ashley Biden diary]
Kurlander waives indictment. He plead GUILTY.
Kurlander is told, five year maximum. But what is the plea agreement? This ritual is heading there: his allocution, and reference to plea agreement letter. Judge took 2 AUSAs and Kaplan in back, sealed, before the plea. Why?
Judge Cave says there may be "restitution to victims" - Ashley Biden? Hunter Biden??
There is a plea agreement dated August 18. Still not public. But Judge Cave says "It puts guideline sentence at...No, the plea agreement makes no guideline estimate."
[Which is not the norm here @sdnylive]
AUSA Kelly: He's pleading to conspiracy [18 USC 371] to transport stolen property in interstate commerce [Section 2314] There are payment records.
Kurlander: These items were stolen in Florida and I paid to have them transported to New York. I am sorry.
Judge Cave: I accept your guilty plea.
AUSA: Bail on $50,000 bond, can travel throughout the continental US. Drug testing (Kaplan seems to ask, Disregard first test).
Judge: He can continue his self-employment.
Kurlander: I surrendered my passport already.
Control date Dec 8. Story soon
But wait there's more: Aimee Harris has just been brought in by 2 US Marshals for presentment (for taking Ashley Biden diary from Florida rental where she left it), after Kurlander plea. This time, a docket (case) number. Inner City Press exclusive thread below.
Harris charged similarly to Kurlander, a single conspirscy count. She waives indictment. She will plead guilty, her lawyer says.Story coming on InnerCityPress.com, more on Patreon
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[Note: down at courthouse entrance much security, presumably for arrival of Kid Cudi]. Now up in court, before jury is brought in]
Judge: I didn't hear Government objecting to Mr. Kaplan testifying about Ms. Ventura asking for drugs in Boston
Judge: Let's get Mr. Kaplan back on the stand.
[Witness enters; jury enters]
AUSA: When did you carry cash for Mr. Combs?
George Kaplan: $50,000 on his private jet.
AUSA: Did you pick up cash for Mr. Combs?
Kaplan: $10,000 at Western Union, from Combs Enterprises
[Before the jury is in]
Judge: The defense letter about Doctor Hughes preserves your objections, Ms. Shapiro
[But the defense letter is NOT in the docket, while after Inner City Press' objection, the US letter is in: patreon.com/posts/diddy-do…
Judge: When Doctor Hughes is on the stand, I'm sure Mr. Bach can raise that in cross
[As we reported yesterday, Combs' 10th lawyer is Jonathan Bach, husband of Alexandra Shapiro, who was defense for example in the Trump SPAC trial: innercitypress.com/sdny23qmnpishv…
[Before jurors come in]
Combs' Agnifilo: We oppose David James testifying about the incident with Suge Knight. He's going to mention D-Roc, say he was a friend of Biggie Smalls - that's decades ago, not relevant.
Judge: Seems you are previewing your cross
[Witness / personal assistant David James takes the stand]
Judge Subramanian: Good morning. Welcome back.
[Then]
Courtroom deputy: We are missing four jurors. It may be the subways.
All rise!
Judge Subramanian: On the defense's application with regard to Dawn Richard, Ms. Geragos' opening statement opened the door to this testimony... As to Mr. James, the testimony would be inadmissible absent more
AUSA: As I argued in my letter -
[NOTE: Judge Subramanian just ruled orally on letters that are not in the docket, although they are clearly judicial documents - Inner City Press challenge to this *is* in the docket: unsealing/docket bid storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…
Judge: The Government has said the defense's cross examination can go until 4:30 pm today and they'll limit themselves to 30 minutes of re-direct.
Combs' lawyer Anna Maria Estevao: We have evidentiary issues
Judge: Tell me about them, should have been in writing
Combs' Estevao: We don't understand why they are taking time objecting to our exhibits.
AUSA Johnson: They are proposing to use a video of Mr. Combs walking in nature, talking about God - it is improper, invited jury nullification
Judge: Let's hear it
All rise!
Judge Subramanian: Let's try to get through these issues efficiently as we have the jurors waiting... We have a letter from a juror that we will make Court Exhibit 1. On the videos, when will they be offered into evidence?
AUSA Johnson: This afternoon
Judge Subramanian: This is about evidence that is coming into the case. The public has a right to know what is happening at trial. I don't see how we would navigate that concern. There's a potential impact on the jurors of signaling some evidence requires sealing