New Evidence: Siegelman Witness 'Coached, Cajoled, Threatened'

[BradBlog]

New Evidence Reveals Feds 'Coached, Cajoled, Threatened' Star Witness in Siegelman Case
Declarations filed in former AL Governor's request for new trial, describe government prosecutors manipulating key testimony, pressuring former aide in exchange for lighter sentence
Notes, communications and required FBI disclosures said illegally withheld from defense team...

Official declarations filed along with a recent motion by Siegelman, requesting a new trial in light of the new evidence, reveal what seems just the tip of the iceberg of a flagrant and wholly inappropriate case of wide-spread prosecutorial misconduct. The allegations (with much evidence to back them up) paint a compelling picture of an illegally targeted political prosecution/witch-hunt carried out by Karl Rove and his Alabama-based Dept. of Justice cronies in an attempt to remove Alabama's most popular Democrat from the political grid all together.

The new declarations, believed to be posted here publicly in full for the first time (PDF links follow below), reveal a startling case of inappropriate misconduct by federal investigators, as Siegelman's former aide Nick Bailey, the government's star witness against him, is revealed to have been "coached and cajoled and threatened", as Siegelman's late June motion for a new trial describes it, throughout some 70 interviews and phone calls. Bailey, the documents describe, was said to have been frightened for his life and facing a possible years-long sentence in federal prison, if he failed to testify precisely as investigators had required him to.

The investigators went so far as to require Bailey to write down his testimony after he had failed, time and again, to offer the same answers to prosecutors' questions during undisclosed interviews. Yet, evidence of that coaching was allegedly concealed from the defense, according to the new documents and testimony, in violation of federal law, and in what appears to directly parallel the precise reasons for the dismissal of the Stevens case in Alaska...

FULL STORY: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7313

[bertman]

1. Expect an unfortunate and devastating fire to destroy said notebook any day now.

Or Nick Bailey to be involved in tragic boating/auto/flying/domestic/hiking/etc accident.

Recommend.

[BradBlog]

2. But in any case...

The good news is, the declarations are already signed, sealed and delivered...and *really* damning as I read them.

[bertman]

3. Thanks for the good news, Brad. I'm hoping Don Siegelman will be vindicated soon

and the criminals who railroaded him have to face a judge and jury to explain their actions.

Your hard work on this is greatly appreciated.

[The Wizard]

15. Judge and Jury?

How about a blindfold and a cigarette?

[bertman]

19. That comes after the "guilty" verdict.

[troubledamerican]

12. You called it.

When the notebook/Bailey is destroyed, DU will have a most-recommended post about this topic.

Then the topic will disappear down the memory hole like the Anthrax Attacks.

[Wednesdays]

4. K&R

:kick:

[Richard Steele]

5. K&R

[Ellipsis]

6. K&R

[Hissyspit]

7. Kick for justice for Gov. Siegelman nt

[defendandprotect]

8. If the Dems can't pull this one out, what in the hell can they do--????

This is a threat to democracy -- it's also a threat to every Democrat!!!

[midnight]

9. I'm hoping that Mr. Siegelman gets some justice soon.

[Senator]

10. K&+R

[mzmolly]

11. K&R

:kick:

[pbrower2a]

13. "Justice" under Karl Rogue

Karl Rove, by exercising legislative, executive, and even judicial power without having been elected to office, appointed subject to approval by Congress, or hired subject to firing for misconduct or incompetence, may have been the real power in America between 2001 and 2006.

Thank God for the results of the 2006 election.

Don't be fooled. Karl Rogue wants back in power, and once he gets dictatorial power again he will stop at nothing.

[Kaleko]

14. Recommended

[LAGranny]

16. What is it going to take....

....to get justice for Don Siegelman,"America's # 1 Political Prisoner" and the other political prisoners, like Paul Minor, who were caught up in the political railroading launched against Democrats by the Bush DOJ? How President Obama and AG Holder CANNOT take action is just beyond me. In Siegelman's case we have a "shopped for" "hanging" judge with a highly unjudicial grudge against the Governor, we have jury "tampersing," we have witness "coaching," we have failure to disclose evidence to the defense, we have 2 Republican whistleblowers, one of whom testified before Congress that she was asked to try to dig up some "incrimination" photos of Gov. Siegelman as part of her "opposition research," and that she was unable to do because there aren't any, and we had or have a Federal Prosecutor, Leura Canary, with strong ties to Karl Rove, who "recused" herself from the case, but really didn't, as the second Republican Wistleblower, Tamarah Grimes testified. Ms. Grimes was also recently fired from her position by Canary, in spite of her "protected whistle blower" status. Now comes the news that Nick Baily, the Prosecution's star witness, was not only coached, but was threatened with sexual blackmail/exposure if he failed to "cooperate" and give the highly coached testimoney the prosecution wanted. What more is it going to take to get Justice for Gov. Siegelman? At the very least shouldn't the Hanging Judge be removed from the case, and the Bush-Appointed AUSA, Leura Canary, be replaced?

[pleah]

17. K&R

Bookmarked.

[BradBlog]

18. Thanks for all the K&R's guys...I'm amazed that...

...this report hasn't gotten more notice.

Though perhaps I shouldn't be, by now.

[pleah]

20. No, thank you!

:yourock: