Judge denies former Congressman Jefferson a new trial

Former Congressman William Jefferson (pictured) was convicted last month on 11 of 16 criminal counts filed against him — including charges that he accepted bribes and engaged in money laundering while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The case against Jefferson included the discovery of $90,000 cash in his home freezer.

Jefferson was a Democrat Congressman who represented constituents in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Jefferson had requested a new trial based in part on the judge’s refusal to allow the jury to hear about a sexual relationship between a government informant — who wore a wire and recorded conversations with the defendant — and an FBI agent assigned to the corruption case.

Judge T.S. Ellis III determined the issue wasn’t relevant because the government relied only on recorded conversations between the informant, Lori Mody, and Jefferson and did not call her as a witness in the trial or enter any other statements from her into the record, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper.

Mr. Jefferson faces sentencing October 30.

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