samanthajane13
07-23-2009, 06:09 PM
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Defense lawyers for a former Louisiana congressman accused of taking bribes and hiding $90,000 in his freezer have presented their case to a federal jury.
William Jefferson, a Democrat who represented parts of New Orleans, is accused of accepting more than $400,000 in bribes and seeking millions more in exchange for brokering business deals in Africa.
The trial has stretched for seven weeks, but the defense started and concluded its case on Thursday. It consisted primarily of excerpted recordings. The defense argues that Jefferson's actions do not constitute bribery under federal law and that he was acting legitimately as a business consultant.
Closing arguments are set for Tuesday.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090723/ap_on_re_us/us_jefferson_trial
William Jefferson, a Democrat who represented parts of New Orleans, is accused of accepting more than $400,000 in bribes and seeking millions more in exchange for brokering business deals in Africa.
The trial has stretched for seven weeks, but the defense started and concluded its case on Thursday. It consisted primarily of excerpted recordings. The defense argues that Jefferson's actions do not constitute bribery under federal law and that he was acting legitimately as a business consultant.
Closing arguments are set for Tuesday.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090723/ap_on_re_us/us_jefferson_trial