Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, left, and defense attorney Brendan Sullivan leave the U.S. District Court in Washington Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008. A federal judge Thursday rejected a defense demand to declare a mistrial after a prosecutor miscue in the corruption case against Stevens. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Judge denies vigorous mistrial bid in Stevens case
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge rejected a vigorous defense bid Thursday for a mistrial in the corruption case against Sen. Ted Stevens despite finding that prosecutors broke rules requiring them to turn over evidence favorable to the veteran Alaska lawmaker.
After a roller-coaster day of discord, U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan told lawyers that ending the trial after several days of testimony would be too drastic. Instead, he ordered the government to give stacks of previously undisclosed documents to the defense and called a recess until Monday.
Sullivan had suggested at a hearing before his decision that he might take the unusual step of allowing defense attorneys to amend their opening statement using the new information. "I think there's ways to deal with this short of a mistrial or short of a dismissal," he said.
But defense attorney Robert Carey refused the offer, saying the damage was done.
"The trial is broken and it can't be fixed," Carey said. "It's been played on an uneven playing field." full story at Associated Press
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http://USvStevensDocuments.synthasite.com
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