��������� After about two hours of arguments in federal court Saturday, the magistrate has yet to rule on the efforts to block a subpoena for former Governor Bob Riley in the bingo corruption trial. Defense attorney Joe Espy hinted in his opening arguments Friday, and told the judge Saturday, they have a lot of information indicating the FBI?s investigation of Victoryland owner Milton McGregor was connected to Riley's efforts to shut down electronic bingo casinos.
��������� The FBI has accused McGregor and the other defendants of buying and selling votes on pro-gambling legislation.
��������� Riley?s attorneys teamed up with lawyers from the state attorney general's office to try and quash Espy's subpoena. They claim Riley?s discussions with law enforcement are privileged and cannot be brought out in court.
��������� The arguments about a governor?s privilege come on the heels of Alaska releasing e-mails from Sarah Palin on Friday sent during her tenure as governor of that state.
��������� U.S. Magistrate Judge Terry Moorer did not indicate when he would rule. Riley?s lawyers had argued their client had a summer motorcycle trip planned and to force him to hang around the courthouse waiting to testify was unfair.
��������� Jurors have been told they will have to sit in the jury box two to three months to hear the case. Attorneys on both sides agreed Riley can continue on his motorcycle junket to Alaska and will get three days' notice or more he must return to testify. That way he won?t have to wait around at the federal courthouse waiting to testify if the subpoena stands.
��������� Judge Moorer also heard debates about McGregor's attorneys? efforts to subpoena the tax records of the prosecution?s star witness Senator Scott Beason. He is due to take the stand Monday and begin explaining how he wore a wire for the investigators.
��������� Prosecutors claimed Friday, Beason was offered a million dollar bribe in the form of a public relations contract. Beason?s biography on the legislative website does not indicate he has a PR firm.
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