Congressman William J. Jefferson has apparently never met a court delay he didn’t like. The prosecution says enough is enough.
By Bruce Alpert
New Orleans Times-Picayune
WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors are asking a Virginia appeals court not to further delay U.S. Rep. William Jefferson’s corruption trial, saying the government “should be afforded an opportunity to proceed with its prosecution” in a case first brought more than 18 months ago.
Prosecutor Mark Lytle said such a delay would result in “further prejudice” to the government’s case against the nine-term New Orleans Democrat.
The brief, filed this week, came in response to a motion by Jefferson’s attorneys asking the court to delay implementing its ruling that rejected their plea to throw out 14 of the 16 charges pending against the congressman. If the appellate court delays what is called the “issuance of a mandate,” the district judge presiding over the case could not schedule a trial.
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