September 19, 2014
Mariah Timms
News Writer
Virginia News
Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife have asked a judge to throw out their convictions for public corruption. The McDonnell defense lawyers filed motions Thursday to U.S. District Judge James Spencer in the hope that Spencer will acquit them or call for a new trial. Spencer ruled on the original trial, in which the jury convicted the former governor on 11 counts of accepting gifts and loans in exchange for special treatment, and his wife, Maureen, on eight. The McDonnells claim in the motions that the “special treatment” part of the convictions was not proved. The loans and gifts came from Johnnie Williams, former CEO of Star Scientific Inc., a dietary supplement company.
