In the News Today – January 22, 2016
- Indicted Plaintiffs Attorney to Represent Himself in Criminal Trial: A Mississippi federal judge this week agreed to allow Texas-based plaintiffs’ attorney Mikal Watts to represent himself in the criminal case against him over charges of “vastly inflating the number of claimants for a $2.3 billion seafood compensation program” related to the Gulf oil spill. The 95-count indictment against Watts and others include charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, identify theft, and aggravated identity theft. (The Sun Herald and Law360)
- Sheldon Silver’s Lawyers Seek Acquittal or New Trial: Attorneys for convicted former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver have asked a judge to acquit Silver or grant him a new trial, claiming charges against him were not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Silver was convicted in November of all seven counts against him. These include charges that he steered state grant money to a cancer research center in exchange for asbestos litigation referrals to a law firm at which he garnered legal fees. (New York Times)
