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Subscribe to RSSAndrew Young, John Edwards former aide, was on the witness stand for the fourth consecutive day. Lawyers for Edwards questioned Young's credibility, attacking his timeline of events and pointed out inconsistencies between his testimony and what he wrote in his book about the former presidential candidate's affair with Rielle Hunter. NBC's Lisa Myers reports.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — John Edwards' defense lawyer on Thursday picked apart ex-aide Andrew Young's story that he was asked to use campaign money to conceal Edwards' affair with a mistress, accusing him of making up stories about the former presidential contender to make money off of the scandal.
Full trial coverage
Analysis by Hampton Dellinger
Andrew Young took witness stand for a fourth straight day at Edwards' campaign finance fraud trial. The star prosecution witness is key to the government's case that while campaigning for the White House in 2008, Edwards directed a scheme to use nearly $1 million in secret payments from two wealthy donors to conceal an affair with his pregnant mistress.
Edwards has pleaded not guilty to six criminal counts and faces up to 30 years behind bars if convicted. The defense argued in opening statements that Young spent most of the money at issue in the case to build a $1.5 million house for his family, not to buy the silence of Edwards' mistress, Rielle Hunter.
The defense sought to undermine Young's credibility and paint him as a pathological liar.
Defense lawyer Abbe Lowell pointed out inconsistencies with Young's account of the scandal at trial this week and in multiple other accounts, including grand jury testimony and his 2010 tell-all book about Edwards.
MSNBC's Thomas Roberts speaks with Steven Friedland, a professor at the Elon University School of Law, about the cross-examination of former John Edwards aide Andrew Young and his admission to fabricating some of his tell-all book.
Lowell asked Young whether he first learned Hunter was pregnant in May 2007, as his book says, in June 2007, as he testified, or in early July, a date backed by phone records and Hunter's medical records.
The timeline issues could challenge the accounts of conversations Young said he had with Edwards in a car discussing whom to ask for money to help take care of Hunter and discussing Hunter's pregnancy.
Young said he couldn't recall the exact date for either event.
Lowell also challenged Young on which amount of secret money a wealthy heiress said she would provide to help make Edwards president — $1.2 million, as he testified this week, or $900,000 and $925,000, figures he had previously given.
Young said the number he provided this week is the correct one.
Young had falsely claimed paternity of Edwards' daughter, Frances Quinn Hunter, while Edwards was campaigning for president. Edwards acknowledged two years later that he had fathered the child.
As Lowell's detailed questioning continued, some jurors appeared distracted, and even U.S. District Court Judge Catherine C. Eagles grew impatient.
"I'm not quite following," the judge told Lowell after he asked Young a question about whose idea it was for Young to claim paternity of Hunter's child. "We're about to beat a dead horse here."
She warned the attorney she might cut off his questions if they weren't relevant to the criminal charges facing Edwards.
"You're going to get to the money, right?" she asked Lowell.
Young was expected to remain on the stand all day Thursday. His wife, Cheri Young, could take the stand Friday.
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Leave a Comment:
Keep singing on the stand, Mr. Young; I want to see Pretty Boy go to the slammer.
I thought this was going to be a slam dunk ! Maybe not .
This Young guy is creepier than Edwards , and if they can truly show that he got some of this money - all bets are off.
this dude got MOSTof the money - this was a republicant prosecuter.... let's see how it ends before casting guilt on him
The truth is intertwined with lies, errors in judgement, sins, and corruption and will never serve to release a coward from his shackles.
No denying - Edwards is a Snake!
Old axiom: When you don't have a case, attack the witness.
They are both cretins - Edwards and Young.
Thankfully I am not on this jury panel because I would just throw Edwards in jail for his multiple lies. Edwards should not have used money on his mistress or for his own house. Can not believe anything that comes out of his mouth. Young has lied for Edwards in the past so I can not believe all his stories either.
grlsci - the defense is claiming they have proof that some of the money went to build YOUNGS house - and thats why Youngs wife will be called to the stand.
Like I said , I thought this would be easy - and maybe now not so much? They have done a pretty good job getting Young to cough up the line " I don't remember " , which just makes it all sound like bs.
Why couldn't the prosecutors have just gotten a plea and spared us all of this crap. Maybe because there are some holes in the story.
Edwards didn't use the money for his house, the dude used it behind Edwards back.
Defense lawyers are the lowest of human form, they don't care about the truth they only care about getting lying cheating people off. They would sell their soul for a buck so one should only believe about half of what they claim or say. They will throw any lie out there and not have to prove it. If the prosecution has to prove what they claim so should the scumbags. Edwards is a despicable man and there is no defense that could paint him any other way.
o
gramgigi....You are aware that the prosecuting attorneys can also be the defense attorneys, right?
i'm still waiting for my refund from edwards' campaign
Hope you aren't holding your breath. :-)
Wow!
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No doubt Young made money from his book, but he also knew this case would go forward and he would eventually be cross-examined on everything he wrote. He's probably a slimeball as well, but I believe him for the most part.
It is reported Young was calling other witnesses about their testimony ___a crime but he has on going immunity to past and it would seem current crimes. Including using money meant for the girl friend, to buy his own home.
My heart goes out to the Edward's children and his daughter, Frances. Nobody should be put through the humiliation John Edward's is putting them through. Was it all worth it? I think not. My prayer is that the older children will have compassion for their little sister and take an interest in her. Please don't leave it all up to Edwards and her mother!
Peace.
I am no fan of Edwards, but sycophants never win.
Poor John Edwards just another government elitist caught with his pants down.
It appears Edwards was not the only dipping into funds. But Young appeared to be trying to get his hands on money also, his home 1 point 2 million give me a break.
The U.S. Supreme Court case creating Super PAC's makes this case moot. Even if Edwards had been convicted before that Supreme court case was heard, the conviction would have to be vacated. I disagree with the outcome; but, it is what it is.
So, Edwards' lawyer is accusing the former aide of, "cashing in"?! What about the mistress?! The woman he had a baby with while his wife was going through chemotherapy?! Who's the bigger creep here, anyway?! Edwards is, and always will be, a first class slime ball! Talk about a hypocrite! He makes my stomach turn! I hope Elizabeth is resting in peace. I know if I were that woman, I'd want to come back and haunt him forever!!
Fits right in with Newt Gingrich and John McCain when it comes to sick wives doesn't he?
Hey msn, let's drop this BS scandal and let's take a look @ the corrupt Republican corporate political puppets MUCH BIGGER scandal AGAINST THE 99% American People! It's a 1000 times bigger! Let's talk about the OIL corporations MONOPOLY causing MAJOR INFLATION for the 99% & their CHILDREN! Let's talk about the corrupt Republican financial corporations & their WALL STREET buddies that have caused NOT ONLY THE U.S. but THE WORLD economy to COLLAPSE! Don't worry about Edwards, he'll do fine!
Vote STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC, the lives you save WILL be YOURS & your CHILDREN!!
edwards should rot in hell for what he did!! cheating on your CURRENT wife that has cancer for a piece of *ss. then throwing his one time friend under the bus after he helped him with finances for his bastard child. F*CK YOU EDWARDS
Dear Friends:
Take the adultrous woman to court and inquisition for black mail!
So much anger. Let's try prayer instead. Only God is in control and He will control the outcome in His way.
What do you expect from a lawyer?
It is reported that John Edwards knew everything that was going on with his people and his candidacy. He left nothing to chance. His plea of ignorance of what Andrew Young was doing is absolute BOGUS! Then the fact that he cheated on his sick & dying wife with that skank Hunter - makes me glad he didn't get farther in the election. What a sleezebag!
"When you don't have a case attack the witness?" Whoa, people. Edwards hasn't presented a case, yet. This has been the prosecution's case. HELLO!
The government will be lucky the judge doesn't dismiss the whole thing. The prosecution has a LOT of work to do to rebuild its case after the defense took Young apart.