Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman caught a break, thanks to coronavirus, a savvy attorney, and perhaps some behind the scenes shenanigans. Paul Manafort was released from prison today, allowed to serve the rest of his seven and a half year sentence from home. His attorney told NBC News this came “amid concerns he could contract coronavirus in federal prison.”
Manafort’s release follows a request from his attorneys to the Federal Bureau of Prisons that he be allowed to leave the prison due to underlying health concerns and the COVID-19 pandemic… Manafort was hospitalized in December while in prison, and his lawyer had previously said he suffered from severe gout.
But, there were reportedly no known cases of coronavirus at the Federal Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania where Manafort was being held. With that in mind, his release is raising questions. Law professor Joyce Alene, an MSNBC analyst writes, “This raises real fairness concerns. Manafort doesn’t qualify for compassionate release. Did he get special treatment ahead of others who do? People in facilities with outbreaks or closer to the end of their sentence? Did Trump’s friend get preferential treatment under the guise of appropriate releases to protect BOP inmates? Releases make sense but there must be a process based on objective criteria”
Manafort was in prison for witness tampering, tax evasion, foreign lobbying and more. He was scheduled to be behind bars until late 2024.