Larry Langford trial, Day 6: Credit where credit is due
By Wade Kwon
Ongoing coverage of Birmingham mayor Larry Langford on trial in Tuscaloosa for bribery.
Highlights: Week 2 began with the last of the prosecution’s witnesses on Monday. Norm Davis of NBC Bank testified that Langford asked for a loan of $50,000 to $65,000, shortly after the institution became Jefferson County’s financial adviser. Langford received a credit card with a $25,000 limit, later raised to $65,000. Meanwhile, his credit score plummeted from 585 in 2003 to 485 in 2006. (Scores below 600 are considered “high risk” for lenders.)
Davis also painted a grim picture of Langford’s personal finances: In 2007, he was $649,946 in debt (including his mortgage) and $238,192 in credit card debt.
Prosecutors also read into the record portions of Langford’s deposition to the Securities and Exchange Commission from June 2007. Langford said in the deposition that he paid for his own clothes during trips to New York; Bill Blount testified last week that he had purchased the items, including a $12,000 watch, to bribe Langford. Langford also said that Blount never loaned him or gave him money; Blount had testified that he gave Langford more than $100,000 using Al LaPierre as a middleman.
Odds and ends: Who ended up buying Langford’s Rolex for $8,500? Patrick Cooper, Birmingham lawyer and runner-up in the 2007 mayoral election.
With the prosecution on the verge of wrapping up, Langford and his team have still made no decision as to whether he’ll take the stand.
Quote of the day: “Getting ready to kick this thing off. No! It’s block by the Mount Cody of judge/jury conferences.” — Birmingham News columnist John Archibald
Homework:
- Squidoo: Who Is Larry Langford?
- “Larry Langford, as first week of trial ended, had his mind on smokes and domes” … Langford: “I’m sleeping like a baby.“
Also, what lessons have we learned from the trial so far? “Archibald: Can’t we agree on a few things?”
• Langford, under no circumstances, should be allowed to handle public money.
• Everyone who gave Langford clothes or money … you are as responsible for the fallout as he.
Next: Defense expected to begin Tuesday.
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Complete coverage: The trial of Larry Langford from Wade on Birmingham.
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Monday, August 19, 2013, 6:58 pm
[…] “Good rule for politicians who want to stay out of jail,” tweets Emily Yoffe, who writes the “Dear Prudence” advice column in Slate. “Timex, not Rolex.” Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell faces possible indictment over, among other things, the gift of a Rolex watch valued at $6,500. Former Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., will spend 30 months in prison for spending campaign funds on, among other things, a Rolex watch valued at $43,000. Former Birmingham, Ala., Mayor Larry Langford is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence on bribery charges that included accepting a Rolex watch that he later sold for $8500. […]