In Tuscaloosa, Alabama the court announced there will soon be a verdict in the Larry Langford public corruption trial.Langford faces 60 charges from a federal indictment returned in June 2008 and unsealed 6 months later. He was arrested by the FBI on a 101-counts.
Among the sixty charges are bribery, money laundering, conspiracy, mail and wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
Prosecutors claim Langford accepted $235,000 in cash, clothing and jewelry from investment banker Bill Blount and lobbyist Al LaPierre.
In exchange, prosecutors argue, Langford arranged lucrative bond swap deals for Blount and LaPierre while Langford served as President of the Jefferson County Commission.
Langford has pleaded not guilty to the charges. I wonder if he had to plead not guilty to all 101 charges, or just the 60 that he was just convicted of?
Blount has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribery and LaPierre admitted guilt to conspiracy and filing a false tax return.
If Langford is convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum of 804 years in prison.
His office of the Mayor of Birmingham is also automatically vacated if Langford is convicted on any of the 60 charges.
City Council President Carole Smitherman takes over as Acting Mayor until a special election is held in early-mid December.
Great work. Now, please, please, please come to Chicago!
UPDATE: Larry Langford was found guilty Wednesday on all federal criminal counts against him, abruptly halting the 32-year career of a Jefferson County political fixture who had been Birmingham's mayor for just under two years.
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