Fergie's Tech Blog

Judge Denies New Trial for Bernard Ebbers

An AP newswire article by Erin McClam in The Washington Post reports that:

A federal judge has denied a bid by former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers for a new trial, paving the way for him to be sentenced Wednesday in the record $11 billion fraud.

Ebbers had argued the judge or prosecutors should have granted immunity to three witnesses that Ebbers contends could have helped clear him of charges related to the fraud.

His lawyers also said prosecutors unfairly prejudiced jurors by suggesting in their closing statement that there was evidence outside the trial record that proved government witnesses were telling the truth.