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Jefferson free pending appeal

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (UPI) -- The judge who presided over the federal bribery trial of former Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., says he can stay out of prison while he appeals his conviction.

In a ruling Wednesday, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis said Jefferson must wear an electronic monitor and may not travel outside the New Orleans area without court permission. Jefferson must advise the court when he travels to Washington for meetings with his lawyers.

Ellis found Jefferson's lawyers have a "substantive issue" for appeal, although he said he does not expect to be reversed. The lawyers argue the judge gave jurors an overly expansive definition of "official business," allowing them to conclude Jefferson was acting in his official capacity when he pushed an African country to do business with a company in which a family member had a concealed interest.

The Jefferson case became notorious when reports surfaced that FBI agents found $90,000 concealed in a freezer in his home in Virginia. His lawyers say Jefferson's conduct was unethical but did not rise to the level of criminality.

Ellis sentenced Jefferson last week to 13 years in prison.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 11/20/2009

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