Developer Donald Trump was a no-show Monday, but the government’s key witness in the fraud trial of Conrad Black may face another grilling.
F. David Radler, the former publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times, in his testimony, said he was unaware of Canadian parole rules allowing him to leave prison after serving five months if he behaved properly. His deal with U.S. prosecutors allows him to serve his time in his native country of Canada.
Black’s lawyers, in court documents, said Radler lied on the stand, citing his hiring of a Canadian lawyer specializing in parole issues before he began cooperating with U.S. prosecutors.
“That Mr. Radler has had the leading Canadian parole lawyer on his legal team since November 2004 is probative of his bias, motive and interest in testifying for the government,” Marc Martin said in the filing. “It also impeaches his claims of ignorance about Canadian surrender and parole rules.”
Black’s lawyers asked that Radler be ordered to return to Chicago so they can further discredit his testimony.
U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve said she would rule on the request Tuesday.
Radler, the former second-in-command to Black at Hollinger International Inc., left the witness stand more than two weeks ago. He pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and agreed to cooperate in exchange for a reduced sentence of 29 months, which could be reduced in Canada. Radler testified that he and Black conspired to divert millions of dollars of payments from Hollinger to top executives and a Canadian company controlled by Black.
Black’s lawyers did not call Trump, as had been anticipated in the 12th week of the trial.
The courtroom was packed Monday in anticipation of the celebrity real estate developer, after the New York Post reported Friday, citing unnamed sources, that Trump would testify in Black’s defense.
But one of Black’s lawyers said during a break that he would not call Trump to the stand. He declined to explain why Trump would not testify.
Trump bought the Chicago Sun-Times property from Hollinger to make way for Trump Tower, which is under construction. Trump also had attended the lavish 60th birthday party Black threw in New York for Black’s wife in 2000.
On Monday, one of Black’s expert witnesses, Lee Williams, a former federal tax agent, testified that Black spent $4.6 million renovating, furnishing and decorating the New York apartment the company bought for him in 1994. Prosecutors used the opportunity to introduce more examples of the extravagant tastes of Black and his wife, Barbara Amiel Black.
During cross-examination, prosecutor Eric Sussman showed Williams invoices of some purchases, including $12,500 for a mahogany shaving stand with a porcelain bottle, a $9,600 Mother of Pearl Persian box, and a $33,000 Chinese carpet from the 1920s.
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