Larry Langford trial, Day 4: Blount gave bribes for bond business
By Wade Kwon
Ongoing coverage of Birmingham mayor Larry Langford on trial in Tuscaloosa for bribery.
Highlights: Langford friend and associate Bill Blount took the stand, testifying to bribing him with $236,000 in cash and gifts. The Montgomery investment banker, who has known Langford for 30 years, said he used the bribes to steer $7 million worth of bond business to his firm via Langford’s position as Jefferson County Commission president.
When Langford was short on cash, Blount said he sent checks to middleman Al LaPierre. Blount said under cross examination that he and Langford never expressed any explicit arrangement.
More details emerged on the gifts, including a $1,093 sweater from a New York store and $50,000 in suits, shirts and ties at Remon’s downtown and a flight to an Atlanta baseball game, all paid for by Blount for Langford.
Quote of the day: Prosecutor George Martin: “Who did you bribe?” Blount: “Mayor Larry Langford.”
Homework: “Tweets from the jury box: jurors using Twitter jeopardize trials” from the Christian Science Monitor:
As reporters in Tuscaloosa, Ala., try out their new micro-blogging accounts this week to cover the high-profile trial of Birmingham mayor Larry Langford … defense attorney Michael Rasmussen says he’s worried about jurors also taking to the Internet to research the case or send tweets to their friends.
Next: Blount continues testimony, plus LaPierre takes the stand Friday. We’ll be there in the courtroom.
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Complete coverage: The trial of Larry Langford from Wade on Birmingham.
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Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 12:24 am
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