Conrad Black sent back to prison in US after losing fraud appeal

Chicago court rules fallen press baron, 66, must serve another year in jail on charges of fraud and obstruction of justice Conrad Black will return to prison, a judge has ruled, after the fallen press baron lost his appeal on a fraud conviction. His wife, journalist Barbara Amiel, collapsed in court as the verdict was read. Black, 66, was convicted by a Chicago court in 2007 of defrauding investors in his media company Hollinger International and obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail, and served over two years at the Coleman Federal Correctional prison in Florida. Judge Amy St Eve, who originally sentenced Black, said she had been impressed by letters sent on behalf of Black by his fellow inmates. But she ruled that he must serve 42 months, meaning Black, who was made a life peer in Britain in 2001, will serve another year in jail. As St Eve made her ruling in Chicago, Amiel collapsed, and had to be escorted out of the court. Black, whose international newspaper empire included the Chicago Sun-Times, the Daily Telegraph and the Jerusalem Post, was freed on bail a year ago to pursue a partially successful appeal following a change in US law. Two of Black’s fraud convictions were thrown out last year, but the court upheld one conviction for fraud and one for obstruction of justice. Black arrived in court accompanied by Amiel, who looked pale and thin. His lawyer, Miguel Estrada of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, said the prosecution was being “vindictive” in attempting to get Black sent back to jail. Before his re-sentencing, Black quoted Rudyard Kipling’s If, and expressed gratitude for his “army” of supporters across the US, Canada and the UK. He said he regretted trusting his former business partner David Radler, who testified against him, and wished he had taken more seriously the corporate governance “zealots” who had pursued him. “I believe that life is a privilege and that almost all challenges are in part an opportunity,” Black told the judge. Black’s lawyers acknowledged that their client had not shown remorse for his crimes, but said had been a model prisoner. Black tutored fellow inmates in the general educational development (GED) and all his pupils passed, Black’s lawyers told the court. He also gave them advice on job interviews and got a standing ovation after giving a speech at the prison’s African-American history day. They dismissed claims that Black has lorded it over his fellow prisoners as a “fabrication.” According to sworn affidavits filed in court earlier this month, the peer treated fellow prisoners “like servants.” Staff at the Coleman prison claimed Black demanded special treatment, wished to be called Lord Black, got prisoners to mop his floor and was a poor tutor to his fellow inmates. In court his lawyers said the charges were not true and that fellow prisoners had organised a letter-writing campaign on his behalf. They said Black had spent his time in a three-man cell, never had servants, and was never called Lord or even Mr Black. Lawyers told St Eve that Black had high blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. The prosecution said Black’s team were making an “overblown” case for their client’s behaviour, and that he remained convicted of fraud. But St Eve said she was impressed by the letters in support of Black. “You have been sentenced in other ways,” she said. “I am not concerned I will see you in court again, Mr Black,” she said. Black predicted earlier this week that he might return to jail. “If I am sent back, it will not be for very long,” Black wrote this week in an e-mail to the Toronto Globe and Mail. Conrad Black United States Canada Newspapers & magazines Dominic Rushe guardian.co.uk

Posted by on June 24, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.