Prosecutor subpoenas signal confidence in Jefferson court date

Subpoenas requested this week by government attorneys suggest prosecutors expect Rep. William Jefferson’s (D-La.) trial to go forward on schedule, despite his push to delay it.

The lead attorney prosecuting Jefferson earlier this week requested 10 subpoenas for witnesses to appear and testify on the first day of the trial, which is set for Jan. 16. The subpoena requests come days before U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III is to hear arguments for and against Jefferson’s request to delay the trial for two to four months. Jefferson has requested a waiver from making an appearance at the court Friday, when his motion to delay his trial on corruption and conspiracy charges will be heard.

{mosads}Late last month, Ellis rejected an effort by Jefferson to move his trial out of northern Virginia.

Jefferson and his attorneys had argued that prosecutors unfairly brought charges against him in suburban Alexandria rather than D.C. because they wanted a venue where fewer blacks are in the jury pool.

Ellis also denied several of Jefferson’s motion to dismiss charges against him. For example, Ellis rejected an argument that the prosecution had failed to allege a proper conspiracy, and that several of the charges had taken place outside northern Virginia and therefore should not be heard by a court there.

The judge also denied a motion to allow the defense team to review information presented to the grand jury that resulted in Jefferson’s indictment.

Ellis has scheduled an evidentiary hearing later this month on Jefferson’s request to suppress evidence seized and statements he made to investigators in August 2005, when the FBI raided his New Orleans home.

The nine-term congressman is accused of taking more than $500,000 in bribes and demanding millions more for himself and his family members from 11 different companies interested in securing business contracts in Africa.