Conrad Black (slightly) vindicated, Supreme Court sends case back to court
There will be some cheers from at least one cellblock today: Conrad Black, deposed media baron and convicted felon, got his day in front of the U.S. Supreme Court today. The Supremes held that Black’s conviction on a semi-obscure fraud charge should be overturned and have sent the case back to a lower court.
The CBC reports:
During sessions in December, Justice Stephen Breyer said he worried the Obama administration’s interpretation of the law makes criminals out of vast numbers of U.S. workers, including possibly employees who read a daily horseracing newspaper on the job, or send a personal email from a work computer.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that constitutionally, the honest services law can only be applied to cases involving outright bribery or kickbacks.
Black remains guilty of obstruction of justice, a charge the court upheld. Also tasting the sweet nectar of victory today is Jeff Skilling, who was the CEO of Enron and thus also totally innocent of any wrongdoing. No word on whether Black is comfortable with the company he’s keeping in today’s news.
Despite the G20, tornadoes, earthquakes and general end-of-the-worldiness in Toronto, we suspect somehow the National Post will make room on the front page for this. Will old C-note make it above the fold?
• Conrad Black fraud convictions set aside [CBC News]
• Court sets aside Conrad Black conviction; sends back to lower court [National Post]
• Some Conrad Black fraud convictions set aside [Toronto Star]
Image: dbking
