WASHINGTON—Convicting an accused person of the same offense in state and federal courts doesn’t violate the Constitution’s double jeopardy ban, the Supreme Court ruled June 17, in a case with ramifications for those convicted in federal court in light of special counsel Robert Mueller’s now-complete Russia investigation.
Mueller’s shadow loomed large over oral arguments in the case on Dec. 6, 2018, even though he wasn’t mentioned. That’s because former associates of President Donald Trump, such as his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, could still face state-level prosecutions in addition to the federal prosecutions launched by Mueller. Manafort is now serving federal prison time for white-collar fraud unrelated to his campaign work but unearthed as a result of Mueller’s work.
