Posted on 07/10/2009 7:27:13 PM PDT by Libloather
William Jefferson corruption trial shifts to other 'schemes'
by Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune
Friday July 10, 2009, 7:12 AM
ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- After more than three weeks of testimony about William Jefferson's efforts to bring telecommunications projects to western Africa in return for what prosecutors labeled bribes, the jury Thursday heard about several of the other 11 alleged schemes in the corruption indictment against the nine-term former congressman.
The trial, which began on June 9 with jury selection, finally appears to be moving closer to completion. Lead prosecutor Mark Lytle said he hopes to finish the government's case on July 17 or July 20.
Depending on whether the defense chooses to bring its own case, including possible testimony by Jefferson, the jury could begin deliberations by early August.
On Thursday, prosecutors said the story of Baton Rouge-based Arkel International's involvement with Jefferson is similar to what the jury had heard about Jefferson's efforts to bring iGate Inc.'s telecommunications technology to western Africa. Jefferson was willing to provide assistance, but only if a family-owned business was provided with money, prosecutors said.
George Knost, Arkel's president, testified that he had a meeting in the fall of 2000 with Jefferson, the governor of the state of Jigawa in Nigeria, the congressman's brother Mose Jefferson and Renee Gill Pratt, then a state representative and longtime girlfriend of Mose Jefferson.
Knost said the meeting was to discuss a sugar plant Arkel hoped to build in Nigeria. After the meeting, in the parking lot of the company's Baton Rouge office, Knost said the congressman told him that Arkel would need to hire Mose Jefferson as a consultant.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
Barring an OJ jury Jefferson’s going to take a vacation in a federal slammer, probably not a long enough one though.
I would bet “Cold Cash” will be found Not guilty Because he’s a Black Dem...
Yeah, our court system does not have a real good record at prosecuting Black Dems.
In fact all of them seem to go free and either make money or get reelected to some post.
Why haven't you gone after Dodd, Reid, Frank, Pelosi, Feinstein, etc.
It’s not just “Dollar” Bill Jefferson, the whole family is corrupt.
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