Stevens Trial Halted as Judge Considers Mistrial

[Blue_In_AK]

Source: Anchorage Daily News

WASHINGTON - The case against Sen. Ted Stevens threatened to collapse today when his attorney demanded a mistrial or dismissal of charges over the failure of the government to turn over evidence favorable to Stevens.

The chief prosecutor in the case apologized and called the error a mistake - though she asserted Stevens' rights weren't violated.

But for the second time in a week, U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan reprimanded the government, this time accusing it of directly violating his orders. He sent the jury home for the day and ordered both sides to submit briefs on whether he should send jurors home for good.

A hearing is set for 4:30 p.m. (12:30 p.m. Alaska time) to determine whether to drop the case, declare a mistrial or continue on. A mistrial would allow the government to try Stevens again.

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Read more: http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/stevens/story/543579.html

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How nice. Just in time for the election.

[flyingfysh]

1. the judge didn't have any choice

Failure to turn over evidence favorable to the defence is a serious error.

[Blue_In_AK]

4. I know.

I worked as a paralegal/legal secretary for criminal defense lawyers for years. I'm not sure how they let this happen. All the federal prosecutions of state legislators here in Alaska have gone like clockwork.

[Orsino]

8. In an election year, with a GOP defendant?

The first prosecution of a sitting US senator in how long? I think we can guess how such an "oversight" might easily have occurred.

The all-important delay past the election will be accomplished, and in the eyes of many Americans, the case will have been proven bogus.

[fascisthunter]

2. what a bunch of bullshit.....

[downindixie]

3. Just when you start thinking there might be some justice

for us.The rug gets pulledout from under our feet.The crooks are just playing us.

[Supersedeas]

5. Mukasey's lil' Republicants have a way of 'openning the door' for the GOP powers that be

[Delphinus]

6. How in the world?

Was this done on purpose - meaning the prosecutor did it on purpose to give Stevens help?

[cstanleytech]

7. Thats possible I suppose, what do we know about them?

Who appointed them to the office and what political party are they a member of?

[elocs]

9. Let's be honest, if this was a Democratic senator we would be applauding

if the judge declared a mistrial because evidence had been withheld from the defense.

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Of course.

It's just kind of surprising that they bungled in this way when the US attorneys in Alaska were so well-prepared and "by the book" in the other VECO cases that have been tried here this past year.

[catgirl]

11. Please see this post (good news)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3523977

Stevens loses mistrial bid.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Excellent. :)

[Doctor_J]

13. If this was a Dem senator the GOP judge would have let it go

:shrug: