In the end, Conrad Black might be best known as the man who brought down one of the worst-written and most-abused laws in recent history. Even Eric Sussman, the former U.S. assistant attorney who led the trial against Conrad Black in Chicago, said, “It seems unlikely they [the Supreme Court]will reject the appeal [by Black]out of hand.”
To learn more about Conrad Black’s struggle against the unfairly-written honest services statute, please read this excellent article, Conrad Black Appeal May Change U.S. Law, which is available at the National Post’s online archive.
Some might ask why I am so concerned about honest services fraud. I am also a victim of this “mushy” law. Appellate judges decided that I benefitted ‘psychologically’ from defrauding the people of Cicero, Illinois! How can a law this crazy be allowed to stand? I even tried to get my case before the Supreme Court, but evidently the time was not right. Thankfully Conrad Black was able to get his case heard. Hopefully he can succeed where I did not.
A number of my convictions will be vacated if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes Honest Services in the days ahead. The only bad part of this is that many bad men and women, legitimate criminals, might go free when honest services is struck down. Because it is harder to prove real fraud, honest services had been repeatedly used in the wrong situations. If Black’s challenge wins out, some real felons that committed crimes with the intent to do so might go free because the feds wrote, and prosecutors abused, a law so ambiguous that justices from both sides of the spectrum agree that something must be done about it.
6 Comments
Betty, another great piece. I wish both you and Conrad good luck on the Supreme Court case decision.
betty very well said. you and conrad should hear good news.
GREAT article….
Great article. I have written several letters to Mr. Black and believe he committee no harm. Hate by others should be illustrated nor taken advantage within our judicial system I’m praying that it is struck down. It is a law abused and that’s not my problem prosecutors are the ones to blame not those that are innocent men of god. I ‘m a victim of this statue.
Great article – your insight has opened my eyes. It’s difficult to believe this law still stands – I hope it gets wiped off the books.
Betty for Mayor of Chicago!