Appeals court turns down opportunity to review fraud, obstruction convictions
Conrad Black lost his bid on Friday for a full re-hearing of his case. The former media mogul saw two of his three fraud convictions tossed out last October after the U.S. Supreme Court imposed new restrictions on fraud prosecutions. Black’s lawyers were seeking to have the remaining convictions of fraud and obstruction of justice subject to a new trial. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit denied the request in a one-paragraph ruling that did not elaborate on their motives. Black is currently free on bail after spending nearly 2.5 years of his 6.5 year sentence in a Florida prison; his next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 13.