Former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson of Louisiana was convicted Wednesday on 11 of the 16 corruption charges against him in Alexandria federal court. The conviction follows years of litigation and controversy – including an unconstitutional raid on a congressional office by the Bush Administration.
The case was best known for the discovery of $90,000 in Jefferson’s freezer. What is fascinating is that the jury acquitted on the counts that directly dealt with the cash in the freezer. The also acquitted on the foreign corrupt practices act. Yet, when U.S. Attorney Dana Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia was asked what the most important piece of evidence was in the case, he responded, “We always thought that a powerful piece of evidence in this case was $90,000 in a freezer.”
The statement seemed to reaffirm views that the evidence was valued more for its prejudicial than legal effect. In the end, it was not evidence that compelled a convictions on particular counts. However, it obviously had a damaging impact on the jury. There is no question that the evidence was properly introduced and was the legitimate basis for criminal counts. Yet, it is a bit troubling to see the prosecutor cite a piece of evidence as that most important when it was only marginally relevant to the actual convicted counts.
Monday morning quarterbacking will now occur over the decision of the defense team not to call Jefferson to the stand. By not doing so, the defense avoided a punishing cross examination by the government. However, it also left the highly negative view of Jefferson unchallenged. One reporter told me that he was told by a defense lawyer that the reason they did not call him could be summed up in two words: Ted Stevens. However, the decision could also be questioned in two other words: Martha Stewart. By not taking the stand, Stewart virtually guaranteed conviction. Moreover, despite his legendary arrogance, Jefferson is far more personable than Stevens. The jury clearly did not like Stevens, who came across (accurately) as an over-bearing and dishonest individual. While I agree with the defense’s decision to put Stevens on the stand, I could not pick a worse individual to connect with a jury.
To give credit to this defense team, they did an excellent job at trial and lead counsel Trout did a masterful closing in the case. By putting Jefferson on the stand, they could have ended up with a sweep of 16 counts rather than just 11 counts.
The prosecutors tried to argue that Jefferson is a flight risk but Judge Ellis rejected the notion. The prosecutors are likely to ask for the maximum and face roughly twenty years. Judges tend to go to the maximum for public officials convicted of crimes connected to their public offices. The federal sentencing guidelines include aggravators for such breaches of trust. Even a ten-year sentence would present a severe penalty for a 62 year old.
I must confess to having little sympathy for Jefferson, who was known as a greedy and arrogant man on the Hill. His greatest asset in the case proved to be the Bush Administration which caused huge delays and controversy with its unconstitutional raid. The raid was not just entirely unconstitutional but entirely unnecessary, as I discussed in my testimony to Congress. It was a thuggish act that turned Jefferson into the victim. A court later sided with him on the constitutional question.
Good afternoon. Every man, wherever he goes, is encompassed by a cloud of comforting convictions, which move with him like flies on a summer day. Help me! Please help find sites for: Cs pepper spray. I found only this – mace versus pepper spray. Pepper spray, weapon gloves seem environment periods through the battle of order port. Pepper spray, when garbage feet from unpleasant animal, the often called capsicum is oriented into the spray for tumor. With love :eek:, Zaccheus from Ethiopia.
Help! I’ve been punned and I can’t get up! 😀
Mike A:
Touche’!
The only surprise here is that the Justice Department didn’t screw up the case beyond salvaging. On the other hand, how can you screw up $90,000.00 in cash in the guy’s freezer?
mespo, I don’t know if he’ll be placed “on ice,” but he will definitely be “cooling his heels” for awhile.
“he case was best known for the discovery of $90,000 in Jefferson’s freezer.”
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Pardon the shameless pun, but, pray tell, will the once lordly Rep. Jefferson now be placed “on ice.”
“One reporter told me that he was told by a defense lawyer that the reason they did not call him could be summed up in two words: Ted Stevens. However, the decision could also be questioned in two other words: Martha Stewart. By not taking the stand, Stewart virtually guaranteed conviction. Moreover, despite his legendary arrogance, Jefferson is far more personable than Stevens.”
JT,
I must admit to a secret (shameful) addiction shared by me and my wife. We watch the real life murder mystery shows, like 48 Hours. In almost every instance the old canard is presented that you should never put the defendant on the stand. Many times we have observed a case where to us there was reasonable doubt and a possibly compelling Defendant’s side of the story. They invariably don’t testify and then are convicted, when to this couple at least reasonable doubt existed. My thinking on this is that the decision of whether or not to testify should be based on the specific case and not some widely accepted legal dictum. Do you have an opinion?
Buddha:
“Yeah, Jefferson angered someone in the crime syndicate proper enough to get the Feds on him,”
That is it,in a nutshell.
Buddha,
Yes I understand swap rat mentality. They are a different breed. A lot of inbreeding.
AY,
As a lifelong observer of Louisiana politics, I’m going to call semi-bullshit. Yeah, Jefferson angered someone in the crime syndicate proper enough to get the Feds on him, but he did it to himself by merrily going along with the Louisiana “a bribe is required for everything” mentality – which I dare say is still slightly ahead of the DC graft curve. Baton Rouge and DC are both built in swamps. That alone should tell you something.
Mr. Jefferson apparently didn’t understand the true role of Congress: cheat um fair and square.
I still agree that President Cheney used the Bush and Rove Puppets to put down this man. It was total BS. Congress has the ability (if only it used it) to seat or not seat members at it choosing. Ask that guy from NY? Ask that man from IL.
Maybe he did not play ball too well and should be tasered as well.