Federal judge denies SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein’s bid for acquittal, new trial
SCOTUSblog co-founder Tom Goldstein has failed in his attempt to get an acquittal or a retrial for his tax evasion and mortgage fraud conviction. (Photo by Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)
A federal judge has denied SCOTUSblog co-founder Tom Goldstein’s bid for an acquittal or a new trial, rejecting claims that issues with jury instructions and excluded evidence tainted his tax evasion and mortgage fraud case, Law360 reports.
During a hearing Tuesday from the bench in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby of the District of Maryland said she did not think that the issues that the defense raised had prejudiced Goldstein or would have changed the outcome of the case.
Griggsby also said there was sufficient evidence for each of the counts on which the well-known U.S. Supreme Court practitioner and co-founder of the popular blog was convicted.
The judge’s decision came after she heard arguments from prosecutors and from Goldstein’s legal team. While the judge said she heard some strong arguments from the defense, she said she didn’t find grounds for their motion for a judgment of acquittal or a new trial, according to Law360.
“I don’t really feel the case was all that close,” she said while explaining her ruling.
See also:
DOJ seeks 8-year prison sentence for SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein
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