Manafort shows up to court in wheelchair, as sentencing date set

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Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort appeared in court Friday in a wheelchair for a hearing to set his sentencing date, as lawyers claimed his terms of confinement were negatively affecting his health.

Federal Judge T.S. Ellis III set a sentencing date for Feb. 8, 2019, pertaining to Manafort's conviction in August in his Virginia trial.

"I’m not willing to go on endlessly,” Ellis said, referring to the government’s preference for sentencing to occur after Manafort completes his cooperation with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation as part of a separate plea deal. “I do not extend sentencing in circumstances like this.”

But in a startling scene, Manafort, 69, was wheeled into the Alexandria courtroom Friday wearing a prison jumpsuit with “Alexandria inmate” emblazoned on the back.

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Attorneys for Manafort, arguing the sentencing date should be set for as soon as possible, said the terms of Manafort’s current imprisonment are negatively affecting his health.

It was not immediately clear what health issues Manafort is facing. A source close to Manafort's defense told Fox News on Friday that Manafort's "five months of isolation" have contributed to his deteriorating health.

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