WASHINGTON —A team of government lawyers prosecuting Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska never fully reviewed evidence that could have bolstered his defense, were inadequately supervised and withheld information that would have “seriously damaged the testimony and credibility of the government’s key witness” in his 2008 corruption trial, a special counsel has determined.
The 514-page report from Washington lawyer Henry Schuelke III stopped short of urging criminal misconduct charges against the six Stevens prosecutors because the federal judge in the case never “specifically” ordered prosecutors to turn over helpful material to the defense, though he had expected them to do so to be fair.
Now, Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility is expected to recommend whether any of the prosecutors should be terminated, disciplined or absolved of misconduct. Those findings will probably end a legal drama that began with corruption charges against the longest-serving Republican senator. His conviction in fall 2008 cost him his re-election. The case was later dismissed because of the allegations of prosecutorial misconduct. Stevens died in a plane crash in 2010. Tribune Co. Washington Bureau
