Conrad Black trial goes to jury
CHICAGO — Conrad Black’s criminal fraud trial went to the jury Wednesday after nearly 15 weeks of testimony in which the former media baron and three codefendants were alternately called corporate thieves and victims of a run-amok prosecution.
Judge Amy St. Eve of the U.S. District Court in Chicago handed the case to the 12 jurors, who had heard from about 50 witnesses in a case involving complex business transactions.
The defendants are accused of pilfering $60 million in noncompete payments that prosecutors say should have gone to the company Black ran.
Defense lawyers have said the government found a proven liar as its star witness in David Radler, Black’s former partner. They also said prosecutors had overreached in pursuing Black and singled him out because of his wealth and power.
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