The corruption trial of Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. ground to a halt Tuesday when the judge pounded her hand and shouted for order and the congressman stormed out of the courtroom. "Stop interrupting, congressman!" U.S. District Judge Lesley Wells shouted during an argument over a witness Traficant wanted to call. Traficant, 60, is accused of taking kickbacks from staff members and accepting gifts and free labor from businessmen for his political help. The charges carry up to 63 year in prison. The nine-term Democrat is defending himself even though he is not a lawyer.
He also appears occasionally the the news shows in varying stages of coherence, most of them "in"... Lessee, here... That's make him 123 when he gets out of jug. |