Stevens Denied Mistrial

Jury sent home as deliberations grind closer to Election Day

(NEWSER) - Deliberations in the corruption trial of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens were halted again today when the judge sent the jury home following the death of a juror’s father, Politico reports. The juror flew to California, and it’s unknown whether she’ll return for deliberations. This latest delay pushes deliberations closer to Election Day, when Stevens’ name will be on the ballot. More»

(NEWSER) - Ted Stevens' corruption trial will continue despite serious errors by prosecutors, a federal judge in Washington ruled this afternoon. Material that should have been turned over to the senator's defense team much earlier surfaced Wednesday, infuriating Judge Emmet Sullivan, the Anchorage Daily News reports. He declined to dismiss the case or declare a mistrial despite responding to the prosecutors' contention that the omission was "human error" by calling it "probably intentional." More»

Prosecutors withheld FBI reports on witness

(NEWSER) - A federal judge sent the jury in Ted Stevens’ Washington corruption trial home today as he considers declaring a mistrial for the Alaska senator, the AP reports. Stevens’ lawyers claimed that prosecutors attempted to withhold FBI reports about the government’s key witness, former oil exec Bill Allen, that they say would’ve helped their defense. More»

Government's chief witness acknowledges giving inappropriate gifts to Alaska sen.

(AP) - A longtime friend of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens crossed the powerful lawmaker and testified today as the star witness in the Republican senator's gift-giving trial. The fiercely loyal Stevens did not acknowledge Bill Allen when he entered the courtroom. The two men barely looked at each other as Allen prepared to testify that he gave the senator $250,000 in home renovations and other gifts. More»

Woman guilty in UK's first contempt of court case involving Internet

(NEWSER) - A British juror who took empathy for the defendant a little too far may be going to jail for contempt of court. Joanna Fraill used Facebook to find and befriend a woman she had helped acquit on drug charges. Before the jury had reached a verdict on other defendants, the two chatted online about the jury's deliberations, causing the collapse of one of a complex series of trials estimated to have cost some $10 million, the Telegraph reports. More»