Judge throws out some key prosecution evidence in Stevens' trial

[Project Grudge]

Source: Politico

Judge Emmet Sullivan threw out two big pieces of evidence in the Justice Department's prosecution of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) after it was disclosed that prosecutors failed to provide defense attorneys with all the information they needed to put on their case.
...
Judge Sullivan is throwing out a portion of the business records from VECO Corp., whose former CEO, Bill Allen, allegedly spent $188,000 renovating Stevens' home in Girdwood, Alaska. Two former VECO employees, Rocky Williams and Dave Anderson, are on the company's records as having spent significant time working on Stevens' home in late 2000 and early 2001.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/

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Another slime-ball in Congress getting away without as much as a slap on the wrist?

[Ian David]

1. How convenient for Stevens that the prosecution had an "oops"! Give me a break! n/t

[varkam]

2. Well you can blame that one on the prosecutors.

Not turning over evidence is a big no-no.

[struggle4progress]

7. I suspect IDB's point is that the Justice Department is likely to have deliberately blown the case:

it's a rather politicized Department, as you are probably aware, and it serves an Administration that has miraculously bungled scores of investigations

[varkam]

11. While I wouldn't say it is out of the question...

I would contend that mere incompetence or normal human error are not out of the question, either.

[MissMillie]

9. yep

if the law doesn't work for the lowlifes, it doesn't work for anyone

the prosecutors were wrong on this one.

[bluestateguy]

3. They're going to fuck this case up

Just like Ronnie Earle fucked up the Hay Bailey Hutchison case in Texas 15 years ago.

[Winterblues]

4. It really does not matter

I don't want him to go to jail, I just want him out of the Senate and this trial and the fall out from it should insure that outcome. He is eighty four years old for Christ's sake. Why would anyone want him to go to jail? He has done many many good things for Alaska. He has been the best Senator Alaska ever had. He just did not know when to call it quits. I feel sorry for him more than anything.

[atreides1]

8. If He Committed a Crime, He Should go to Jail

Regardless of what he's done, if he's convicted of a crime then he should go to prison. The matter of how long can be determined by the judge, and he can use his own discretion.

So. he's 84, what's that got to do with anything, and as far as all the good he's done that can be considered during pre-sentencing.

[UK populist]

5. When you think about who employed these prosecutors (repubs)

Then you can see why they are deliberately fucking this case up.

[Tempest]

6. They still have Allen's testimony

That'll carry a lot of weight with the jury.

[bemildred]

10. Witness in Stevens' trial testifies on records deemed 'lies'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Prosecutors in Sen. Ted Stevens' trial were granted a last-minute request Thursday to call a witness whose payroll records had been dismissed as "lies" by the judge in the case.

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The foreman on a project to renovate Stevens' family chalet in the ski town of Girdwood, Alaska, Anderson told investigators before the senator's indictment that he billed his company for hours he didn't work.

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Before the prosecution rested, lead defense attorney Brendan Sullivan released one witness for the day, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was at the top of the defense witness list.

Powell spent about an hour waiting in a witness room before leaving the courthouse. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, another defense witness, also left. It was unclear when he would return.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/09/stevens.trial/

[Supersedeas]

12. was this a Mukasey dive in the third round? Selective prosecution and selective disclosure...errr.

let the press hold them accountable maybe