NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Public defenders for former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin are telling an appeals court that Nagin's convictions on 20 counts involving corruption during his two terms as mayor should be thrown out.
The argument is made in court briefs filed late Tuesday at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Nagin's attorneys argue that the jury that convicted him received erroneous instructions on 10 counts involving wire fraud. They argue that those convictions should be tossed, and that the other 10 convictions should be thrown out as well because the jury may have been prejudiced by the erroneous instructions.
Nagin is serving a 10-year-sentence after his conviction last year.
Public defenders were appointed to the case after Nagin's previous attorney said the former mayor was unable to pay him.
– by AP Reporter Kevin McGill
