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Saturday, March 3, 2012

Prosecutors want McGregor jailed immediately if convicted

MONTGOMERY, Al.
Prosecutors said they intend to ask that VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor be immediately jailed if a jury convicts him on vote-buying charges, arguing that his wealth would enable him to flee the country.
milton mcgregor 020612
Milton McGregor
Jurors returned this morning for their third day of deliberations in the trial accusing McGregor and five others of offering or accepting bribes in connection with a 2010 gambling bill. McGregor's lawyer told jurors that there is a "total failure of proof" in the case.
Prosecutors filed notice  Friday that they intend to seek revocation of his conditions of release if the jury should find him guilty.
"McGregor is a substantial flight risk," prosecutors wrote. They filed the notice Friday that they intend to seek revocation of his conditions of release upon the rendering of a guilty verdict against him.
"As the court is aware, McGregor has substantial financial resources as well as access to a private jet. Simply put, his current conditions of release would allow him to board a private jet and be flying toward a country with which the United States has no extradition treaty long before the electronic monitoring to which he is subject would send any alert to the probation office," prosecutors wrote.
McGregor has been required to wear an ankle bracelet since prosecutors claimed that he threatened FBI agents when they arrested him at his Montgomery home.  
An FBI agent testified that McGregor told them that they were making the "biggest mistake of their lives" by arresting him. But a lawyer for McGregor said McGregor did not threaten agents and it was a "mistake" because McGregor is innocent of the charges.
Jurors intend to deliberate for three hours today. The short schedule is because a juror has a funeral to attend.
Prosecutors previously indicated to defense lawyers that they would not seek to have McGregor's bond revoked. The prosecutors said it was a mistake when they did so. "When the United States previously represented to the court that it would not seek to revoke the defendant's conditions of release, it was relying on the mistaken impression from defense counsel that the government had taken that position at the first trial," prosecutors wrote in a foot note in the court filing. The filing was later placed under seal.
Prosecutors said they recently confirmed that no assurances were made "to McGregor or any
defendant that it would not seek to revoke the conditions of release upon issuance of a guilty verdict."

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