Don't miss this one folks! The trial of Conrad (aka Lord) Black gets under way in Chicago today. Black, former owner of the Daily Telegraph among other things, stands accused primarily of looting the company of which he was Chairman (Hollinger Inc) of hundreds of millions of dollars, in order to support an extravagant lifestyle. There are other charges too, including obstruction of justice. Black denies everything.
There are some parallels with the Enron trial, but this promises to be much more fun, given Black's colourful personality and his legendary pugnacity. Indeed, the stakes could not be higher for all concerned. If Black is convicted, he faces a long jail term -- here, at least, the Enron precedent may be followed, in which case Black, who is 60, may never get out of the joint alive. On the other hand, if Black is acquitted, he has promised a blizzard of libel suits against everyone who has traduced him -- a pretty long list. He plans to claim compensation totalling $3 billion, which would surely set some kind of record.
Mrs Black (aka Barbara Amiel) apparently thinks her man is going down. He professes confidence, but the fact that he has been making nice with Canada again suggests he is preparing for the possibility of asking to do his time there, rather than in the less salubrious surroundings of a US penitentiary.
The characters are larger than life, the stakes are enormous, the evidence should be amazing, and the lawyers on both sides are the best money can buy. It should all make the current series of 24 look about as exciting as Shaun the Sheep.
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