A few observations from the perspective of a trial lawyer of many decades:
1. the Maxwell trial -- all sex trials -- are more dramatic. This sort of case rarely is, so the comparison verges into non sequitur territory. It may be that Ward hasn't seen many trials.
2. bin Salman is a nasty spoiled brat -- yes he is also very smart -- but as a narcissistic brat he is offended by anything that suggests the reality that he is also on the wrong side of the corruption spectrum. So this adds nothing to the scale of risk with him that isn't already therefrom Biden (correctly but stupidly) calling him a pariah.
3. Arab monarchies are awful places and amoral, so befriending Putin -- if that's the case -- should never be surprising -- murder, invasions, rape, pillaging -- is a yawn to them.
As for the trial itself, it does sound bad, but unless one is in the courtroom for the whole thing, one cannot really know. But if this report is an accurate presentation of evidence so far, looks bad for the government. I have no idea why they went after Barrack, but though I am hardly a Trump fan, or close to it, I do think the Obama and now Biden DoJs are doing things based on political views. Whether this is one, who knows. Barrack is hardly known as a straight guy, and he does business mainly in dicey areas, so he may be guilty as charged.
A few observations from the perspective of a trial lawyer of many decades:
1. the Maxwell trial -- all sex trials -- are more dramatic. This sort of case rarely is, so the comparison verges into non sequitur territory. It may be that Ward hasn't seen many trials.
2. bin Salman is a nasty spoiled brat -- yes he is also very smart -- but as a narcissistic brat he is offended by anything that suggests the reality that he is also on the wrong side of the corruption spectrum. So this adds nothing to the scale of risk with him that isn't already therefrom Biden (correctly but stupidly) calling him a pariah.
3. Arab monarchies are awful places and amoral, so befriending Putin -- if that's the case -- should never be surprising -- murder, invasions, rape, pillaging -- is a yawn to them.
As for the trial itself, it does sound bad, but unless one is in the courtroom for the whole thing, one cannot really know. But if this report is an accurate presentation of evidence so far, looks bad for the government. I have no idea why they went after Barrack, but though I am hardly a Trump fan, or close to it, I do think the Obama and now Biden DoJs are doing things based on political views. Whether this is one, who knows. Barrack is hardly known as a straight guy, and he does business mainly in dicey areas, so he may be guilty as charged.
Whether they can prove it is another matter.