New documents show improper conduct, possible jury tampering in Siegelman prosecution.
New documents show improper conduct, possible jury tampering in Siegelman prosecution.
New documents obtained by TIME magazine show that a U.S. Attorney who recused herself from the prosecution of former Gov. Don Siegelman (D-AL) continued to be actively involved in the case, e-mailing advice to subordinates who were still involved in the prosecution. The documents, provided by DOJ whistleblower Tamarah Grimes, also show “extensive and unusual contact between the prosecution and the jury”:
A key prosecution e-mail describes how jurors repeatedly contacted the government’s legal team during the trial to express, among other things, one juror’s romantic interest in a member of the prosecution team. “The jurors kept sending out messages” via U.S. marshals, the e-mail says, identifying a particular juror as “very interested” in a person who had sat at the prosecution table in court. The same juror was later described reaching out to members of the prosecution team for personal advice about her career and educational plans. [...]
Further undisclosed evidence of prosecution team members speaking with jurors following the verdict emerges in Grimes’ written statement to the DoJ. In it, she says a member of the team prosecuting Siegelman had spoken with a juror suspected of improper conduct — apparently at the time the judge was due to question the juror about that conduct. Grimes quotes the lead prosecutor in the case as saying someone had “talked to her. She is just scared and afraid she is going to get in trouble.”
The U.S. Attorney, Leura G. Canary, had recused herself from the case because her husband was a “top GOP operative and close associate of Bush adviser Karl Rove,” who has been accused of orchestrating a political prosecution of Siegelman.
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Can’t wait for the Lifetime movie.
November 14th, 2008 at 3:54 pmJURY TAMPERING IS A FELONY! ARREST ROVE AND DOJ OFFICIALS AT ONCE!
November 14th, 2008 at 3:56 pmRove’s gonna look great in orange.
November 14th, 2008 at 3:58 pmIs that a picture of Rove?!
Talk about the cat who ate the canary! Someone looks very pleased with himself.
November 14th, 2008 at 3:59 pm- – Rove will never be behind bars. Bush will issue a blanket pardon. Forget Rove, he’s a ghost.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:00 pmThis shows why Bush and his minions hate whistleblowers. I recently read where he extended the Patriot Act to government communications.
It struck me that he wanted to find and thwart whistleblowers.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:01 pmhttp://wizbangblog.com/images/2006/05/karl_rove_arrest.jpg
I live for the day.
Just saying . . .
November 14th, 2008 at 4:04 pmThe U.S. Attorney, Leura G. Canary, had recused herself
– - And yet she still sang to the Feds.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:05 pmIs it even legal for a criminal president to grant blanket pardons to his co-conspirators?
November 14th, 2008 at 4:06 pmObviously, contact between jurors and the prosecution were improper. There is no way on earth a lawyer could possibly pretend otherwise. Obviously felony and disbarment come to mind.
But lets not forget that the article says fed marshals carried the notes. If these were the fed marshals who were there to keep order in the courtroom and escort the jury around, I don’t see how they could possibly claim any defense of their actions.
If these were Marshals who happened to be around (but not the officials of that particular courtroom) I don’t see how they could excuse having contact with a sitting jury.
In short, it looks like it is not the corruption of one or two, but of the entire court.
How can either the court of the Federal Marshals have any claim of honor ?
November 14th, 2008 at 4:07 pmkrazeeinjun; I would love nothing more than to see that happen to KKKarl, Chimpy, Dickhead Cheney, among others.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:08 pmIt would restore my faith in justice.
Badmoodman Says:
The U.S. Attorney, Leura G. Canary, had recused herself
- – And yet she still sang to the Feds.
Every bit as good as the guy Paulson appointed to distribute the bailout funds… Kashkari
November 14th, 2008 at 4:09 pmOh — that picture!!!
MY EYES!!! MY EYES!!!!
November 14th, 2008 at 4:14 pmcaption:
“Oopsie… my bad…”
November 14th, 2008 at 4:17 pmA Rovian style justice. !!
November 14th, 2008 at 4:18 pmwhy is it after seeing that photo, i have a craving for a blt?
November 14th, 2008 at 4:21 pmThom Hartmann this morning:
Call congress and demand further investigation into the Siegelman case and an indictment of Carl Rove.
Toll-free numbers, sponsored by a variety of sources thomhartmann.com.
1 (800) 828 – 0498
November 14th, 2008 at 4:21 pm1 (866) 338 – 1015
1 (877) 851 – 6437
1 (800) 459 – 1887
Is that picture a publicity still from the ill-fated 1950s-style sitcom Rove tried to sell to Faux?
I believe the title was “Leave it to Turdblossom!”
November 14th, 2008 at 4:22 pmThat picture is seriously creeping me out.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:25 pmralph, you’re right…he DOES look like a bald vivian vance
November 14th, 2008 at 4:27 pmJeebus, did we have to start the weekend with that picture?
TP, you seriously owe us one more thread, so that doesn’t stay at the top.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:29 pmSomebody needs to beat the living be-jeesus out of the fat, feculent phuque. Leave him bleeding and picking his teeth out of the gutter.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:30 pmDavid Inglesias, the US Attorney who got caught in Rove’s “purge” was a guest on my local NPR station last summer, and I called in to ask him if it was legal for a president to preemtively pardon any current or past member of his administration who had not been charged with anything.
After a short laugh, Inglesias said he didn’t think there was precident for blanket pardons, but did recall Ford’s pardon of Nixon, who hadn’t been indicted.
And now we are going to watch Bush pardon everyone for anything they may have done, even if we don’t yet know what those crimes were/are.
How can that be legal? I realize it defies ethics, but expect that from BushCo, but legal???
PEACE
November 14th, 2008 at 4:31 pmHow can that be legal? I realize it defies ethics, but expect that from BushCo, but legal???
A simple signing statement from the new President could easily rectify that injustice.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:33 pmRover doesn’t get post-regime secret service protection.
Likely, he’ll hire Blackwater or some such outfit to cover his ass.
But, as mercenaries, they ought to be able to be paid to turn away at a critical moment, or lose their way, right?
Or maybe he’ll develop fatal brain-cancer, a la Lee Atwater…
Thata’d be schweeeet….
November 14th, 2008 at 4:33 pmI very seriously doubt the Founders & Framers intended the pardon to be applied by Presidents to the deeds of their scum-sucking advisors, lackeys, and boot-lickers to shield them from punishment for high crimes and/or misdemeanors committed while in office.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:45 pmBush may pardon that cork soaker, but Rove cannot stay out of things; there will come a day when he will get his comeuppance.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:48 pmspencers mom Says:
After a short laugh, Inglesias said he didn’t think there was precident for blanket pardons, but did recall Ford’s pardon of Nixon, who hadn’t been indicted.
November 14th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
_________
Once Obama’s sworn in and begins the purge of the loyal Bushies from the Justice Department, I’d like to see Iglesias offered on of the US Attorney jobs. He may not be a “loyal Obamaie” or even a registered Democrat, but he’s loyal to what counts – the Constitution and the Rule of Law.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:08 pmAny word on who is in the running to be the next Attorney General? We are going to need someone who is not only well versed in the law but someone who is not afraid to work…weeding out the Karl Rove/criminal clones from the DOJ is going to take a while if the infestation is as bad as we all know it is.
PS. New here, hello.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:08 pmtokin librul Says:
Or maybe he’ll develop fatal brain-cancer, a la Lee Atwater…
Thata’d be schweeeet….
November 14th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
________
That’s pretty harsh, TL. I know people who’ve died of brain cancer, and it’s not a fate I would wish on any human being.
That said, Karl Rove has yet to prove to me that he has even a shred of humanity in him, so he’s exempted from my above statement.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:12 pmTallygirl Says: Any word on who is in the running to be the next Attorney General? PS. New here, hello.
Greetings Tallygirl. I haven’t heard a name yet…
November 14th, 2008 at 5:15 pmPatrick Fitzgerald could sail through a confirmation hearing, he’s from Chicago, too, maybe Barack has heard of him… ;)
Tallygirl Says:
Any word on who is in the running to be the next Attorney General? We are going to need someone who is not only well versed in the law but someone who is not afraid to work…weeding out the Karl Rove/criminal clones from the DOJ is going to take a while if the infestation is as bad as we all know it is.
PS. New here, hello.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Welcome!
Janet Napolitano, governor of Arizona, is one name I keep hearing. Eric Holder, former Deputy AG under Clinton, is another one.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:17 pmWell, duh!!! If republicans were involved then laws and criminal activities took place, plain and simple.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:36 pmToday’s malfeasance was brought to you by the letters C, L. O and I. – Complete Lack Of Integrity
Raise the gallows
November 14th, 2008 at 5:45 pmJanet Napolitano, governor of Arizona, is one name I keep hearing. Eric Holder, former Deputy AG under Clinton, is another one.
Jim Comey would be my choice. He’s already shown what he’s made of, by putting Fitz in charge of the Libby prosecution, and by standing up to Gonzo, when the chips (and Ashcroft)were down.
November 14th, 2008 at 7:23 pmbarfly Says:
Please dont take our Napalitano. We NEED her here in Arizona to keep a check on the wingnuts. She shoves vetoes up their butt regularly on legislation so neandrathal I am embarassed to even mention them. I think our state legislature would finance schools with bakesales if they could get away with it.
November 14th, 2008 at 7:39 pmNice pic of Mark David Chapman ya’ got there , TP………
November 14th, 2008 at 7:56 pmQuack !
November 14th, 2008 at 8:23 pmProsecutions commence in late January
Rove needs a good frog marching.
November 14th, 2008 at 8:42 pm…and the cookie starts to crumble… I hope Rove end up in prison!
November 14th, 2008 at 10:31 pm“cell mates”
a new reality tv series
staring karl rove
and ted stevens.
*
we know drama.
*
November 14th, 2008 at 10:56 pmYou know, I’m starting to think maybe Republicans do have better sex than we do. They certainly can’t keep it in their pants no matter how serious the work is around them, or how important it gets done.
November 15th, 2008 at 1:12 amI’d love to see Rove on a “Cool Hand Luke” style chain gang. I wonder how fast he can 100 hard boiled eggs?
November 15th, 2008 at 4:42 pmWhy isn’t this turd blossom in jail? I don’t understand.
November 15th, 2008 at 6:13 pm