WSB's Veronica Waters reports lawyers will spend much of the day arguing motions.

When the Government closes its evidence, it's customary for the defense to ask for a judgment of acquittal on the counts it believes there's no evidence to support. Defense attorney Billy Martin says Monday's arguments are not just a formality.

"We will be filing a motion pursuant to Rule 29 asking Judge [Richard] Story to dismiss some or all of these charges, absolutely," Martin said.

Defense attorney Jerry Froelich also alleged Friday in court that the prosecution's failure to call three of Campbell's four alleged bribers essentially amounts to putting on perjured testimony. Ex-Mayor Campbell called the lack of testimony from Michael Childs, Samuel Barber, and Fred Prewitt "remarkable."

"These are people that the Government said were kingpins in this whole process, yet they refused to call them to the stand," Campbell said. "I think all of us understand the reason-because they have no evidence against me."

Froelich said in court he expected to file a motion protesting the prosecution's methods.

"Any allegation of government misconduct in this case is outrageous," U. S. Attorney Dave Nahmias tells WSB.

Federal prosecutors called more than 70 witnesses to the stand and have over 1,000 exhibits to support their case. The defense attacked the credibility of several of the prosecution's witnesses, painting them as people who would testify to anything if it meant leniency from the Government for their own crimes.

Campbell's lawyers begin what they say will be a "substantial" defense Tuesday; the ex-mayor has said "there's no doubt" he wants to take the stand. Martin would not say how long the defense's case might last, or confirm whether Campbell would testify.

"We expect to counter every bit of evidence they've presented, and to present evidence showing that Mayor Campbell is, indeed, not guilty of these charges," he said.

Monday, 27 February 2006