Posted on 09/30/2006 1:10:38 PM PDT by CedarDave
Former state Treasurer Robert Vigil was acquitted Saturday on 23 counts of extortion and racketeering in the retrial of his public corruption case. Federal jurors found him guilty on just one count: attempted extortion. Vigil sat motionless as the counts were read in court shortly after 1 p.m. His wife, Viola, and other relatives began to cry as U.S. District Judge James Browning read "not guilty'' on each of the first of 23 counts. The attempted extortion carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years, but the judge could sentence him to as little as 12 months. No date for sentencing was set. Since he was not convicted on any of the racketeering charges, Vigil also does not face possible forfeiture proceedings involving about $255,000 that the government had claimed was linked to alleged kickbacks. Browning allowed Vigil not to be taken into custody pending the sentence. Vigil's first prosecution last spring ended in a mistrial May 22 when one juror held out for an acquittal.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
He is a convict. He did not escape. You might think that he should have been convicted on more counts, but he did not avoid justice.
BTW, no mention of the political party he belonged to in the article. Doubt if he was a Republican mention of his party affiliation would be omitted.
rally = really
Well, there's NM for you. Just more incentive for the next guy.
This is New Mexico, are you really surprised?
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