Mike
Well-known member
Thu, Oct. 27, 2005
Vote-fraud sentencing hearings rescheduled
5 defendants' sessions set for January, February
BY MIKE FITZGERALD
News-Democrat
EAST ST. LOUIS - The sentencing hearings for former City Council member Charles Powell Jr. and four other Democratic Party insiders convicted of vote buying have been rescheduled for January and February.
U.S. District Chief Judge G. Patrick Murphy, who had presided over their four-week trial in June and will mete out their sentences, on Wednesday set the following schedule of sentencings:
• Sheila Thomas -- 8 a.m., Jan. 30
• Yvette Johnson -- 9 a.m., Jan. 30
• Kelvin Ellis -- 8 a.m., Feb. 6
• Jesse Lewis -- 9 a.m., Feb. 6
• Charlie Powell -- 8 a.m., Feb. 13
Murphy originally had scheduled the hearings for Oct. 3, but postponed them until after he had ruled on the defendants' post-conviction motions seeking either new trials or vacated sentences. Murphy issued an order Oct. 17 upholding the convictions.
A federal jury in late June convicted Powell, the chairman of the East St. Louis Democratic Central Committee, and the four others of taking part in a conspiracy to buy votes in the Nov. 2 general election in East St. Louis.
U.S. Attorney Ron Tenpas has asked Murphy to sentence Powell to between 33 and 41 months in prison because of his central role in the scheme, instead of the 27 to 33 months in prison called for under federal sentencing guidelines.
Tenpas also has asked Murphy to consider boosting the amount of time Ellis could serve on his vote fraud conviction -- from 51 to 63 months in prison, instead of the range of 41 to 51 months -- called for under sentencing guidelines. As with Powell, Tenpas cited Ellis' key role in the scheme.
Vote-fraud sentencing hearings rescheduled
5 defendants' sessions set for January, February
BY MIKE FITZGERALD
News-Democrat
EAST ST. LOUIS - The sentencing hearings for former City Council member Charles Powell Jr. and four other Democratic Party insiders convicted of vote buying have been rescheduled for January and February.
U.S. District Chief Judge G. Patrick Murphy, who had presided over their four-week trial in June and will mete out their sentences, on Wednesday set the following schedule of sentencings:
• Sheila Thomas -- 8 a.m., Jan. 30
• Yvette Johnson -- 9 a.m., Jan. 30
• Kelvin Ellis -- 8 a.m., Feb. 6
• Jesse Lewis -- 9 a.m., Feb. 6
• Charlie Powell -- 8 a.m., Feb. 13
Murphy originally had scheduled the hearings for Oct. 3, but postponed them until after he had ruled on the defendants' post-conviction motions seeking either new trials or vacated sentences. Murphy issued an order Oct. 17 upholding the convictions.
A federal jury in late June convicted Powell, the chairman of the East St. Louis Democratic Central Committee, and the four others of taking part in a conspiracy to buy votes in the Nov. 2 general election in East St. Louis.
U.S. Attorney Ron Tenpas has asked Murphy to sentence Powell to between 33 and 41 months in prison because of his central role in the scheme, instead of the 27 to 33 months in prison called for under federal sentencing guidelines.
Tenpas also has asked Murphy to consider boosting the amount of time Ellis could serve on his vote fraud conviction -- from 51 to 63 months in prison, instead of the range of 41 to 51 months -- called for under sentencing guidelines. As with Powell, Tenpas cited Ellis' key role in the scheme.
