Tag: USA v Bill Jefferson

A few stories I’m following today: An open thread

Before I head out to the Bay and daddy duty today I wanted to share a few stories that attracted my interest, some of which we’ve previously blogged on.

Nowdy wondered a few times this football season why I didn’t blog on St Stanislaus QB Dylan Favre as I had several posts on him during the 2008 football season. The reasons were many such as not having a life the past 8 weeks due to having a 2 sports son (pee wee football/soccer) and it seemingly raining every Friday night down here for the past 6 weeks. (I guess I truly am a fair weather fan when it comes to football at my Alma Mater) That said I did manage to take in a few games one of which was the clash involving my second favorite High School Football team, the Forrest County AHS Aggies (Congrats to the Aggies on beating West Lauderdale) and last night’s SSC playoff win over Quitman. Watching Dylan Farve play over the past few years has been a real treat. Though he lacks the height to be on the major college A recruiting list someone in college football will end up with a great QB.

Last night the Dylan and the Rocks converted a 3rd and 17 with a pass that would be the envy of half the QB’s in the NFL – a throw on a rope that hit the receiver in the hands in stride. I’ll let Al Jones at The Sun Herald take it from there:

Along the way, St. Stanislaus improved to 10-1 for the first 10-win season in school history, and Dylan Favre continued his onslaught on Mississippi high school passing records with three-single season records. Continue reading “A few stories I’m following today: An open thread”

Dollar Bill Jefferson: Anything You Say Can and Will Be Held Against You

Bruce Alpert at the Times Picayune has the story about today’s ruling that went against the Congressman along with some good background on his arrest:

U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III today rejected Rep. William Jefferson’s efforts to declare off limits the comments he made to FBI agents before a 2005 search of his New Orleans home.

Jefferson, D-New Orleans, had argued that FBI agents had followed him to the bathroom and made him fell like a prisoner in his own home and therefore any comments he provided should not be allowed in his public corruption trial in Alexandria, Va., now scheduled for Dec. 2.

But Ellis said he found no evidence of “strong arm tactics, or deceptive stratagems” or any indication he was subject to “restraints of the sort generally associated with formal arrest,” and therefore his comments could be used by prosecutors. Continue reading “Dollar Bill Jefferson: Anything You Say Can and Will Be Held Against You”

$$$Dollar Bill$$$$ Jefferson: Movin’ the trial on up

To DC from Alexandria Virginia that is. He ought to check with the Judge Ellis if there is a family plan. Bruce Alpert at the Times Picayune has the story. (Credit James Gill for “Dollar Bill”)

Jefferson wants Ellis to reverse an earlier ruling in which he refused to grant a change of venue from Virginia to Washington D.C. on grounds that the government, in the view of congressman’s attorneys, chose Virginia because it has a smaller proportion of African-American jurors. Ellis said he found no evidence that the government had manipulated to hold the trial in Virginia , but Jefferson ‘s lawyers said it’s impossible to know that without questioning government prosecutors and reviewing their emails and other material.

The New Orleans congressman, who faces charges of bribery, racketeering and conspiracy, also wants the judge to compel the Justice Department to use international legal treaties to compel testimony from three witnesses, including Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president of Nigeria , and a Nigerian businessman, to answer questions in a legal deposition. Continue reading “$$$Dollar Bill$$$$ Jefferson: Movin’ the trial on up”