Legal News

Jefferson Convicted on 11 of 16 Counts

By Ashby Jones

This just in: former representative William Jefferson (D-LA), has been convicted on 11 of 16 criminal counts. The jury returned its verdict late Wednesday afternoon. The eight-woman, four-man jury convicted Jefferson on 11 of 16 counts that included bribery, racketeering and money laundering. Click here, here, and here for stories from the WSJ, WaPo and New Orleans Times-Picayune, respectively.

The backstory: In 2007, Jefferson, was charged on 16 counts of bribery, racketeering, and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The government alleged that Jefferson used his congressional office to help promote business projects in western Africa in return for payments for his family. The most vivid evidence put on display: that feds found in Jefferson's freezer $90,000 stuffed in Boca Burger and pie-crust boxes.

Jefferson’s lawyer, Robert Trout argued at trial that Jefferson's behavior was perhaps unethical and even stupid but not criminal. "To make something that isn't criminal into a crime, ladies and gentleman, that is power," Trout told jurors.

Stefan Passantino, a lawyer at McKenna Long & Aldridge in Washington who represents individuals, companies and others on lobbying law and ethics issues, says that Trout was trying to walk a fine line in admitting to ethical violations but asking the jury not to find criminal behavior. “He was asking the jury to find a meaningful distinction between ethics violations and criminality,” he says. “To me, the verdict wasn’t entirely surprising.”

Jefferson, 62, could spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Click here for previous LB posts on Jefferson.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on August 05, 2009 (boomark / email).