DOJ Drops All Charges Against Ted Stevens

Stevens was already convicted on seven counts of lying on mandatory financial disclosure forms, but the prosecution stalled in the sentencing phase because it turns out that DOJ lawyers withheld documents. The judge had already held in contempt four DOJ lawyers for misconduct during the trial. Afterwards, Stevens asked for a new trial, but Eric Holder is so, like, over it.

Attorney General Eric Holder has concluded that the conviction of Stevens cannot be supported because of problems with the government's prosecution, which had been openly criticized by the trial judge, National Public Radio first reported.

Justice will withdraw its opposition to a defense motion for a new trial and will dismiss the indictment against Stevens, NPR reported, but that will require a court filing and none had been filed yet.

Holder is said to have based his decision on Stevens' age, the fact that he is no longer in the Senate -- and "perhaps most importantly,'' because the new attorney general wanted to "send a message'' to prosecutors that misconduct will not be tolerated, NPR reported this morning.

Uh huh.

posted by Gabriel Malor at 08:05 AM

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