Ex-OC sheriff acquitted of corruption conspiracy

Ex-OC sheriff acquitted of corruption conspiracy

By GILLIAN FLACCUS

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A jury acquitted former Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona of charges that he took bribes in exchange for the power of his office, a verdict that stunned the courtroom and was hailed by the elated defendant as "an absolute miracle."

Carona was convicted of one witness-tampering count, but the jury rejected the heart of a case that federal prosecutors spent five years assembling against the former head of the nation's fifth-largest sheriff's department.

He had been accused of doing favors for a multimillionaire businessman and appointing him assistant sheriff in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts. Several jurors said they believed Carona was involved in misconduct but that the government hadn't proven its case.

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This is such crap. He wouldn’t testify because he knew he would commit perjury.

[edit on 16-1-2009 by rapinbatsisaltherage]