Justice Department Files Motion to Drop Case Against Former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens

[Revmitchell]

The U.S. Justice Department filed a motion Wednesday to drop its case against former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, who was convicted of seven felony counts of corruption last fall.

Attorney General Eric Holder decided to abandon the case due to prosecutorial misconduct, Justice Department sources told FOX News.

Stevens was convicted last year of lying on a Senate disclosure form in order to hide $250,000 in gifts he received from an oil company executive and friends.

Only after the conviction did allegations of FBI misconduct come to light. The judge in the case has repeatedly delayed sentencing Stevens, and at one point he held prosecutors in contempt.

Justice Department officials later replaced the trial team. Stevens sought to dismiss the case, and Wednesday's action in effect supports his request.

A hearing has been set for April 7.

"After careful review, I have concluded that certain information should have been provided to the defense for use at trial. In light of this conclusion, and in consideration of the totality of the circumstances of this particular case, I have determined that it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the indictment and not proceed with a new trial," Holder said in a statement released shortly after the motion was filed Wednesday.

Holder reportedly decided Tuesday to dismiss the original indictment rather than proceed to more hearings that might embarrass the department.

More Here

 

[Revmitchell]

This statement:

Holder said in his statement that the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility will review the prosecution of Stevens' case, but no conclusions should be drawn.

"This does not mean or imply that any determination has been made about the conduct of those attorneys who handled the investigation and trial of this case," Holder said.

Negates this statement:

In addition to Stevens' age -- he's 85 -- and the fact that he is no longer in the Senate, sources told National Public Radio that Holder wants to send a strong message to prosecutors that misconduct will not be tolerated.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

So big, bad Obama's Atty General wants to undo a Bush DOJ conviction of a Republican senator.

 

[JustChristian]

The U.S. Justice Department filed a motion Wednesday to drop its case against former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, who was convicted of seven felony counts of corruption last fall.

Attorney General Eric Holder decided to abandon the case due to prosecutorial misconduct, Justice Department sources told FOX News.

Stevens was convicted last year of lying on a Senate disclosure form in order to hide $250,000 in gifts he received from an oil company executive and friends.

Only after the conviction did allegations of FBI misconduct come to light. The judge in the case has repeatedly delayed sentencing Stevens, and at one point he held prosecutors in contempt.

Justice Department officials later replaced the trial team. Stevens sought to dismiss the case, and Wednesday's action in effect supports his request.

A hearing has been set for April 7.

"After careful review, I have concluded that certain information should have been provided to the defense for use at trial. In light of this conclusion, and in consideration of the totality of the circumstances of this particular case, I have determined that it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the indictment and not proceed with a new trial," Holder said in a statement released shortly after the motion was filed Wednesday.

Holder reportedly decided Tuesday to dismiss the original indictment rather than proceed to more hearings that might embarrass the department.

More Here

Why do you suppose the Bush administration did this. Did they want to get Stenens out of the way for some reason?

 

[LeBuick]

Sad how the GOP turned on its own. He must have really been hated on the hill.

I for one owe Stevens an apology, not because he isn't guilty, but because of how his case was handled. I was the loudest against Stevens and now we'll never know if he was guilty or not.

I appreciate Holder being fair and not making a case out of thin air...

Sorry Sen Stevens..

 

[OldRegular]

This just shows that there were rogue elements in the Bush Justice Department. Bush needed to fire more than eight.

I have never understood why the conviction of the two border Patrol agents was upheld since the Federal Attorney with held evidence from the defense that the government's prime witness had been arrested again for smuggling drugs.

 

[just-want-peace]

This just shows that there were rogue elements in the Bush Justice Department. Bush needed to fire more than eight.

I have never understood why the conviction of the two border Patrol agents was upheld since the Federal Attorney with held evidence from the defense that the government's prime witness had been arrested again for smuggling drugs.

That's another of my beefs with Bush!!

IMHO he should have pardoned these two rather than just commuting their sentence. This whole affair smelled like rotten fish from what I read about it.

 

[Revmitchell]

That's another of my beefs with Bush!!

IMHO he should have pardoned these two rather than just commuting their sentence. This whole affair smelled like rotten fish from what I read about it.

Ditto..............................................