Verdict reached in Fieger trial in Detroit federal court -- NOT GUILTY on all counts

[Bozita]

Source: AP

Verdict reached in Fieger trial in Detroit federal court
by The Associated Press
Monday June 02, 2008, 1:29 PM


DETROIT -- A federal jury has reached a verdict in the campaign finance violations trial of high-profile attorney Geoffrey Fieger in Detroit federal court.

The decision is to be revealed Monday afternoon.

The jury resumed deliberations Monday morning after failing to reach a verdict over three days last week.

The Southfield lawyer who rose to national prominence by successfully defending assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian is accused of illegally funneling $127,000 to fellow Democrat John Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign.

Read more: http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/06/verdict_reached_in_fieger_tria.html

---

NOT GUILTY!

Woohoo

http://www.wxyz.com/news/story.aspx?content_id=9fadef5d-278a-492b-8ae0-55ce7e7e40fd

ALERT: Fieger Not Guilty on All Counts

Last Update: 1:38 pm

DETROIT (AP/WXYZ) - A federal jury has reached a verdict in the campaign finance violations trial of high-profile attorney Geoffrey Fieger in Detroit federal court: Not guilty on all counts.

The jury resumed deliberations Monday morning after failing to reach a verdict over three days last week.

The Southfield lawyer who rose to national prominence by successfully defending assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian is accused of illegally funneling $127,000 to fellow Democrat John Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign.

Federal prosecutors say Fieger and law partner Ven Johnson recruited employees and others to make contributions for which they later were reimbursed.

[truthisfreedom]

1. Nice. Any little bit of news that drives the 'thugs crazy is always welcome.

Back to business.

[notadmblnd]

8. especially since he's another one the repubs tried to ruin

A lot of people don't like Geoff, they say he has a big mouth. But buddy, if I ever needed an advocate, he'd be the one I'd pick.

[aquart]

2. Another case trumped up to intimidate donors?

[MinM]

3. Not politically motivated...

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080602/NEWS06/80602036">Fieger, law partner acquitted of illegal political donations

Southfield lawyer Geoffrey Fieger and his law partner Vernon (Ven) Johnson were acquitted by a federal jury in Detroit today of illegally contributing more than $100,000 to John Edwards’ 2004 presidential campaign.

Feiger was facing a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison had he been convicted of obstruction of justice, along with certain loss of his law license.
Both Feiger and Johnson would have faced a maximum of 5 years for the other charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Helland said, “We’re obviously disappointed, but grateful to the jury for the hard work they put in.”

Helland said that despite claims to the contrary, the prosecution of Feiger and Johnson was not politically motivated. Helland wouldn’t put a price tag on the cost of the case to the government...

Not politically motivated? :sarcasm:

[xxqqqzme]

14. Was helland one of the replaced?

If not, I'm guessing it is yet another publican lie!

[tom_paine]

15. Another Bushie Big Lie. n/t

[Doctor_J]

19. Any US Attorney who still has a job is extremely partisan and corrupt

Obama's first order of business in January should be to fire them all and prosecute the worst of them

[Judi Lynn]

4. This is great news. So glad it fell apart for them. What did they expect? Thanks, Bozita. n/t

[cyclezealot]

5. They would have loved to have chocked up another Siegleman

victory. Fieger is too loose a cannon when attacking Republicans. Sorry news for the Karl Rove Department of domestic surveillance.

[Bozita]

6. The verdict was UNANIMOUS ...

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080602/METRO/806020407/1408/LOCAL

-snip-

"I hope this will put an end to political prosecutions in the age of Mr. Bush," Fieger said, referring to the U.S. president whose administration he accused of targeting him.

-snip-

Jurors said they decided to acquit Johnson on Wednesday, during the first day of deliberations, and eventually reached a unanimous decision that the government never proved a case against Fieger, either.

"I didn't see much evidence," said juror Krista First, who commuted back and forth from Adrian during the trial that began April 24. Jurors deliberated more than 18 hours over four days.

Fieger, a 1998 Democratic candidate for governor who rose to prominence in the 1990s representing assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian, alleges he is the victim of a Republican witch hunt. A conviction could have ended his highly successful legal career.

more ...

[GreenTea]

7. Too little too late-republicans got what they wanted-stopping more Dem money from "funneling" ......

And republicans got headlines of Democrats "funneling" money....costing the Dem contributors money in legal bills, and embarrassment.

It pays to make false accusations, ask any republican!

[MissWaverly]

9. yes, there is an "fbi" indictment of one of our state officials

Yes, must be an election year.

The FBI is investigating Sen. Ulysses Currie, a leading Prince George's County Democrat, in connection with his consulting work for Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, a spokeswoman for parent company Supervalu in Minnesota said yesterday.

Richard Wolf, an FBI spokesman in Baltimore, said that agents visited Currie's District Heights home yesterday afternoon after also serving a search warrant at Shoppers Food Warehouse's corporate headquarters in Lanham. "It's an ongoing investigation," said Wolf, who declined to provide additional information.

Haley M. Meyer, the Supervalu spokeswoman, said Currie is an "outside consultant" for Shoppers Food, but she declined to elaborate about the work that the 70-year-old chairman of the powerful Budget and Taxation Committee performed for the company.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.fbi30may30,0,7956543.story

[BeatleBoot]

10. Fieger, law partner acquitted of illegal political donations

Source: The Detroit Free Press

Southfield lawyer Geoffrey Fieger and his law (partner) Vernon (Ven) Johnson were acquitted by a federal jury in Detroit today of illegally contributing more than $100,000 to John Edwards’ 2004 presidential campaign.

The defendants smiled after the verdicts were announced following 20 hours of deliberations over four days and a 20-day trial.

“I’m very pleased with the American system and the jury. I thank the jury for listening. I hope this puts an end to political prosecutions in the age of Mr. Bush,” Fieger said.

<snip>

The Bush administration “had corrupted justice to its own political ends,” he said.

<more>



Read more: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080602/NEWS06/80602036

[LSparkle]

11. I can't help it -- I like Geoffrey Fieger ...

Funny that nowadays he's more famous than his brother
Doug (of The Knack).

[louis-t]

12. Have met him several times, he's an alright guy.

Very friendly and unassuming. I don't always agree with his stance on legal issues, but he works hard for his clients and is very good at what he does. Unfortunately, one of his most notable clients, Nathaniel Abraham, was charged last week with a drug offense after being convicted of murder as a teen, tried as an adult and released at age 21.

[KT2000]

13. Me too!

I recall when a hospital was not paying a settlement, he pulled his van up to the front door and started loading their furniture.
Wish he was my lawyer!

[martymar64]

17. I'll play My Sharona in honor of his acquittal!

:headbang:

[merh]

16. Fantastic!

a failed political prosecution - I bet the judge allowed the defense to actually defend the accused.

:thumbsup:

[llmart]

18. Terrific!

Fieger drives the wingnuts crazy so maybe this will cause a few more of them to blow a stroke:)