Subject:  Feds rest case against Fieger |
Author:
Chris
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Date Posted: 05/19/08 8:06pm
In reply to:
Diane
's message, "Fiegers' Trial Tomorrow ????" on 04/13/08 6:44pm
Monday, May 19, 2008
Feds rest case against Fieger
Paul Egan / The Detroit News
DETROIT -- The government on Monday closed its criminal case against high-profile Southfield attorney Geoffrey Fieger and his law partner Ven Johnson.
"The United States rest," Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Helland said after defense lawyers finished cross examining FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Rees, who spent four days in the witness box.
Fieger, 57, and Johnson, 46, were indicted in 2007 on conspiracy and illegal campaign contribution charges. They are accused of making $127,000 in illegal donations to the 2004 presidential campaign of Democrat John Edwards by reimbursing employees, employee relatives and law firm vendors. Fieger is also charged with obstruction of justice, a 10-year felony.
Defense lawyers have acknowledged the political donations were reimbursed by Fieger and his firm and the key issue is whether Fieger and Johnson knowingly broke the law.
In 15 days of testimony, defense attorneys have attempted to redirect the focus to the government's conduct, portraying Fieger as a man with a bullseye on his back because of his politics and pointing to the unusually large amount of government resources directed at a campaign finance prosecution.
Fieger, who ran unsuccessfully for governor as a Democrat in 1998, rose to national prominence in the 1990s as attorney for assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian. His firm regularly wins multi-million-dollar personal injury awards.
It's not clear how many witnesses Fieger and Johnson will call or whether Fieger will testify.
Defense lawyers are expected to make arguments this afternoon to U.S. District Court Judge Paul D. Borman, outside the presence of the jury, that Borman should instruct jurors to acquit the defendants.
You can reach Paul Egan at (313) 222-2069 or pegan@detnews.com.
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