Subject:  Fieger's indicted partner didn't incriminate himself |
Author:
Chris
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Date Posted: 05/15/08 6:35pm
In reply to:
Diane
's message, "Fiegers' Trial Tomorrow ????" on 04/13/08 6:44pm
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Fieger's indicted partner didn't incriminate himself on secretly recorded tape
Paul Egan / The Detroit News
DETROIT -- An indicted law partner of Southfield attorney Geoffrey Fieger did not incriminate himself when a former lawyer in the firm secretly tape-recorded a phone conversation with him, according to evidence presented Thursday at Fieger's criminal trial.
FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Rees testified he arranged for a former attorney at the Fieger firm, Joe Bird, to secretly record a phone conversation with Fieger partner Ven Johnson in order to get a candid conversation about employee donations to the 2004 presidential campaign of Democrat John Edwards.
But Johnson provided the prosecution little ammunition during the Nov. 18, 2005 conversation with Bird, which took place about two weeks before the FBI investigation became public as a result of an FBI raid of Fieger's law firm. Johnson repeatedly told Bird, "I don't even know what you're talking about," and "I don't understand what the problem is," according to a tape of the phone call played for jurors.
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Fieger, 57, and Johnson, 46, were indicted in 2007 on conspiracy and illegal campaign contribution felony charges. They are accused of making $127,000 in illegal donations to the Edwards campaign by reimbursing donations from employees, employee relatives and law firm vendors. Fieger is also charged with obstruction of justice.
Attorneys for Fieger and Johnson have acknowledged the reimbursements were made but maintain the two personal injury attorneys did not believe what they were doing was illegal. The secretly recorded phone call of Johnson was a potentially valuable source of information about his "state of mind" -- the key issue in the case.
Bird, who had been fired from the Fieger firm earlier that year, told Johnson he had been reviewing his taxes with his accountant and got worried about legality of the reimbursements he received for $4,000 in donations Bird and his wife made to the Edwards campaign. He told Johnson that, although he was short of money, he was thinking of refunding the law firm for the reimbursements he received "to clear the deck."
But Johnson appeared confused by what Bird was telling him.
"I don't know why you would do something when there's no problem," Johnson told Bird.
"I don't understand what the problem is."
The trial, which has heard 13 days of testimony before U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman, resumes Friday with Rees, the final government witness, under cross-examination by Fieger attorney Gerry Spence.
You can reach Paul Egan at (313) 222-2069 or pegan@detnews.com.
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