Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Supreme Court Rejects Hale Request > > LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court today > rejected an effort by Whitewater figure David Hale to > stop a state trial he says is political payback for his > cooperation with Whitewater prosecutors. > > In a one-sentence order, the full court echoed Justice > Clarence Thomas, who last Tuesday also denied Hale's > request to delay the trial in Pulaski County Circuit > Court. After Thomas' decision, Hale's lawyers had > resubmitted the request to Justice David H. Souter, who > then referred it to the full court. > > Hale, 56, is charged with lying to insurance regulators > about the solvency of the burial insurance company the > state says he owned. > > The trial began Wednesday but was delayed after Hale > checked himself into a hospital the next day -- an hour > before opening statements were scheduled -- complaining > of chest pain and other problems. The trial is due to > resume Thursday after medical tests. > > Defense lawyer David Bowden had argued unsuccessfully > that immunity granted in a plea agreement with federal > Whitewater prosecutors should have shielded Hale from > state prosecution. > > In 1994, Hale pleaded guilty to two federal felony > fraud counts and agreed to cooperate in the Whitewater > investigation of President Clinton and Hillary Rodham > Clinton. He served about 21 months. > > Hale was a key witness in the 1996 Whitewater trial of > James and Susan McDougal and then-Gov. Jim Guy Tucker. > The trial resulted in convictions for the McDougals and > Tucker. -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
