Stevens Asks for Probe Into ProsecutionOn the tail of Sen. Ted Stevens’ conviction, the senator’s defense team — clearly in withdrawal that they can’t seek mistrials anymore — requested an investigation into “numerous, serious constitutional violations” by the prosecution.
From the AP:
In the letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, [Steven’s attorney Brendan] Sullivan asked that immediate steps be taken to preserve all Justice Department information related to its investigation and prosecution of Stevens. He also asked Mukasey to pull the prosecution team from any further involvement with the case.“We believe that an impartial investigator looking at this case with an eye toward the administration of justice would be shocked at the conduct of this prosecution team,” the letter says.
The attorney alleges in the request that prosecutors knowingly presented false evidence to the jury in Washington, which found Stevens guilty Monday of seven felony counts.
“Senator Stevens’ trial was irretrievably tainted by the prosecution team’s zeal to convict a high-profile but innocent defendant,” the letter says.
The letter was delivered to the attorney general Tuesday morning. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said the department would have no comment. Sullivan’s office did not respond to an e-mail requesting comment.