(Conrad) Black’s Back

December 7, 2009

Black bookSpare a thought for Conrad Black. Once a media mogul, he is currently incarcerated at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Florida, having been found guilty of diverting funds for personal benefit from money due to the company he controlled, Hollinger International. But you can’t keep a good man, still less his lawyers (still less a good man whose lawyers are happy with their retainers) down. Despite being convicted in Illinois U.S. District Court on 13 July 2007 and sentenced to serve 78 months in federal prison, pay Hollinger $6.1 million and a fine of $125,000, Black is fighting back.

The Guardian brings us news that his lawyers “will try to persuade the US supreme court on Tuesday that the former Telegraph owner’s criminal convictions for embezzling $6.1m (£3.7m) amounted to misuse by prosecutors of a controversial fraud law”. Black was apparently convicted under a law which was initially intended to target political corruption. Its purpose was to prosecute individuals who deprive constituents, or shareholders, of their entitlement to so-called “honest services”. Black’s lawyers will argue that its definition has been stretched to become a ‘catch all’ clause for conduct viewed as unethical.

Interesting. Legislation often mutates from its original purpose. Human conduct can never be predicated, hence the elasticity of the law and judicial discretion. What is being billed as Black’s ‘Honest Services Fraud’ appeal may have oxymorinic undertones, but it will be fascinating to see what the Supreme Court does with it.

Image courtesy of Chapters/Indigo on Flickr. That’s Margaret Atwood holding one of Conrad’s Black’s books. The man is also an author. Perhaps, even as he stalks the cells of the Coleman Correctional Complex, he has a new tome underway?

 

One Response to “(Conrad) Black’s Back”

Posted by:
James Gill on December 7, 2009 at 11:39 am

That’s not Margaret Drabble holding one of Conrad Black’s books in the picture here. It is Canadian author Margaret Atwood. Will you please correct the error?

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Not so right said Fred

February 2, 2012
fred hat

So Farewell, then, Sir Fred Goodwin.

Now you are just Fred.

Not Right Said Fred, but plain Fred.

The Forfeiture Committee did for you.

No one had heard of it before,

But Dave said it had to act, and it did.

Trouble is that no one knows what to think.

Is it ‘Alas, poor Fred‘,

Or ‘Hurray! Sir Fred is dead!’?

We don’t know.

Do you?

By A. Mob, aged 1,378 and a half.

London Goes AWOL

January 31, 2012
CNN

STOP PRESS:

Fed up with being stuck on the Thames in south-east England, London yesterday decided to move. In a dramatic gesture which augurs ill for the Olympics, the city upped sticks and relocated to East Anglia.

Lawyers were not consulted about the move, and the city’s precise motivation remains unclear. However, financiers fear that London’s decision is a sign that it wishes to downsize. Moreover, a source from London said: “We no longer want to be Britain’s seat of power. If the Scots can deregulate, why can’t we? East Anglia is a nice place where nothing happens. It’s time for a quiet life. Please respect our right to privacy.”

Elsewhere, Birmingham did not do anything, but Manchester was seen to be packing its bags. “There’s an opportunity for us,” said Manchester. “We can become London.”

East Anglia said: “We don’t mind. It’ll be refreshing to be associated with something other than fens and flatness.”

A cartologist at CNN, which broke the extraordinary news, was later fired.

An excellent ad if ever there was one

January 25, 2012
legovader

We seem to be visually led this week but sometimes words proliferate far too much and letting an image do the talking is no bad thing. That’s another way of saying that ACCESS Agency’s work with Lego is absolutely top drawer.