EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Defense lawyers seeking a new trial for an official of an Islamic charity have asked a judge to take the U.S. attorney’s office in Oregon off the case.
U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan said Tuesday in Eugene he would not respond to an oral request, and defense lawyer Steven T. Wax said he would file a written motion.
The unusual request came as Pete Seda, an Iranian-born U.S. citizen, seeks a new trial after being convicted of tax fraud and conspiracy for helping smuggle $150,000 to Saudi Arabia through the Ashland office of the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation.
Defense lawyers are trying to get more evidence from prosecutors about why they failed to disclose before trial that the husband of a witness was a paid FBI informant, and why the FBI also wanted to pay the witness herself.
