Attorney General Eric Holder is not stating Ted Stevens is innocent. He is saying there are inconsistencies in the actions of the prosecutors that would be overturned in appeal. Basically, the Bush Justice Department 'built in' methods of appeal that would keep Ted Stevens out of jail.
..."After careful review (click here), I have concluded that certain information should have been provided to the defense for use at trial," Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said in a statement. "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."...
Bill Allen takes the stand in Ted Stevens trial (click here for audio)
Tue, September 30, 2008
The government’s star witness took the stand today in the trial of Senator Ted Stevens. Bill Allen was once a respected businessman in Alaska, and ran Veco, one of the state’s largest private companies. But he pleaded guilty last year to bribing state lawmakers, and prosecutors say he gave Ted Stevens gifts worth more than $250,000. Stevens is accused of lying about the gifts on his Senate Financial Disclosure forms.
PHOTO: Bill Allen, former CEO of VECO (photo Libby Casey, APRN)
Libby Casey, APRN - Washington, DC
Editorial: Stevens Case (click here)
The right course
Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to abandon prosecution of former Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska represents a strong commitment to new standards of integrity at the Justice Department....
...The decision means Stevens, 85, who was the longest-serving Republican senator in U.S. history, won't go to jail. But the impact of Holder's decision goes far beyond the former senator. The new attorney general is sending a message early in his tenure that misconduct by prosecutors won't be tolerated....
...After the trial, a Justice investigation found that Bill Allen, the government's star witness against Stevens, had made statements that were "inconsistent" with his testimony....
So, therefore, hearsay after the trial became more important than the actually testimony. The judge ridiculed prosecutors and let the trial go forward rather than stating a 'mistrial' and rescheduling after learning of the violations of law by prosecutors.
There needs to be an investigation of all the circumstances INCLUDING perjury by Bill Allen during the prosecution of Stevens. There either was perjury or not. At this point to prosecute Stevens again constitutes 'double jeopardy' and violates his constitutional rights. There were obviously 'pay to play' issues with the generosity by Allen of Stevens. In the 'audio' it is clearly stated there were many favors for Stevens because Bill Allen 'simply liked the guy.' How convenient. There are ethic violations by Stevens at the very least.
