Former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens leaves the E. Barrett Prettyman federal courthouse in Washington, D.C. Tuesday for what may be the last time. His guilty verdict was thrown out and his case dismissed. He’s surrounded by his family, daughters Beth Stevens, Lily Becker, wife Catherine, and daughter Susan Covich. Photos by Libby Casey, APRN – Washington D. C.
Former Senator Ted Stevens conviction on charges of concealing gifts has been reversed. In a courtroom in Washington this morning, Judge Emmett Sullivan called the prosecution misconduct in the Stevens case “the worse he’d ever seen,” and granted the government’s motion to reverse the conviction and drop all charges against the former Senator. Stevens told Sullivan his faith in the justice system is restored.
Inside the courtroom after the ruling, Stevens and his three daughters hugged, and spoke briefly with former staff members. Leaving the courtroom, Stevens ignored the waiting microphones. Asked if he had a message for Alaskans, he said he will have a good day today, and if he were his colleague Senator Robert Byrd, he would say Halelujah.
Judge Sullivan indicated he is far from finished with this case. He said he intends to name a special prosecutor to look into the investigation and prosecution of Stevens – this in addition to the probe already underway in the Justice Department.
