Post by pavel on Feb 27, 2016 2:56:07 GMT -6
Judge to decide if federal law applies in Maggio case before ruling on plea withdrawal
A U.S. district judge said Friday that he must determine if federal bribery laws apply to Michael Maggio before deciding if the ousted judge can retract his admission of guilt in a bribery case.
Both U.S. District Judge Brian Miller and Maggio's attorney James Hensley Jr. said they agreed the key to the case is whether the federal government has jurisdiction over the circuit court judge's actions because his office receives federal funding.
Hensley argued that no federal funds were involved when Maggio lowered a jury's $5.2 million judgement against a nursing home to $1 million. In his plea agreement, Maggio admitted that the award was lowered in exchange for indirect campaign contributions from the nursing home.
Circuit judges only use federal funds when doing administrative work, not when presiding over the bench, Hensley said.
Read more: www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/feb/26/maggio-friday-court-appearance/
A U.S. district judge said Friday that he must determine if federal bribery laws apply to Michael Maggio before deciding if the ousted judge can retract his admission of guilt in a bribery case.
Both U.S. District Judge Brian Miller and Maggio's attorney James Hensley Jr. said they agreed the key to the case is whether the federal government has jurisdiction over the circuit court judge's actions because his office receives federal funding.
Hensley argued that no federal funds were involved when Maggio lowered a jury's $5.2 million judgement against a nursing home to $1 million. In his plea agreement, Maggio admitted that the award was lowered in exchange for indirect campaign contributions from the nursing home.
Circuit judges only use federal funds when doing administrative work, not when presiding over the bench, Hensley said.
Read more: www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/feb/26/maggio-friday-court-appearance/