Langford, Blount, LaPierre lawyers seek to delay fraud trial

Lawyers for Langford, others want time to review

Source: The Birmingham News
by Jeremy Gray, News staff writer
July 21, 2009

Attorneys for Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford, Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount and lobbyist Al LaPierre are seeking to delay their trial on charges of mail fraud, bribery, money laundering and conspiracy until November.

In a request filed in federal court in Birmingham on Wednesday, attorneys Tom Baddley, Tommy Spina and Robert Joe McLean argue that a continuance granted in March that delayed the trial from May 4 until Aug. 31 did not give them enough time to review evidence.

On May 28, prosecutors gave the attorneys 500 gigabytes of information pertaining to the case, the attorneys wrote in their continuance request. However, prosecutors told defense attorneys the information was not evidentiary and not pertinent to the case.

Defense attorneys argue they need more time to review the material, and compared the situation to the prosecution of former Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, suggesting prosecutors intended "to bury the defendants in irrelevant material while fighting them on relevant material."

Attorneys for the three also offered these reasons for the delay:

Other recent corruption trials in Jefferson County "have changed the atmosphere in which this case will be tried" and the defense needs more time to prepare, they wrote.

Citing the economic downturn and "the effects of the indictment," they wrote that the defendants do not have "the finances necessary to provide an adequate defense."

McLean, an attorney for LaPierre, said Monday that U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Greene has not ruled on the request.

In a response filed Thursday, Acting U.S. Attorney James Phillips wrote that prosecutors have turned over all evidence to the defense.

"The United States has fulfilled its obligations and will continue to do so," Phillips wrote.

E-mail: jgray@bhamnews.com