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Lawyers for Jamal Lewis say the drug conspiracy case against their client is weak because only the voice of the government's key witness can be heard on two tapes that prosecutors are using as evidence against the Baltimore Ravens running back.
Federal prosecutors say they have tapes that will show Lewis helped broker a cocaine deal for a childhood friend, Angelo Jackson, during conversations with the informant in 2000.
However, Lewis' attorneys claimed in court papers filed Friday and obtained by The Associated Press that there are at least two tapes of phone conversations where the informant is speaking and no one can be heard on the other end of the line. The tapes have not been made public.
In the papers, Lewis' lawyers are asking the court to order prosecutors to turn over the informant's criminal record and her real name because she has used several aliases. They said they want that information as they question the informant's credibility and need it to prepare for trial.
Lewis' lawyers allege that the informant trumped up the case against Lewis to avoid jail time in another case. They want the government to turn over other conversations they believe the informant has had with suspects that show her methods of obtaining information.
Tapes of conversations between Lewis, Jackson and the informant in June 2000 are at the heart of the government's case, which was filed in February, nearly four years after the alleged crimes.
Lewis, 24, and Jackson, 26, who both grew up in the same area of Atlanta, are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms of cocaine and using a cell phone in violation of federal law. Jackson is additionally charged with attempted cocaine possession. Both have pleaded not guilty.
No trial date has been set.
Patrick Crosby, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office, has refused repeated requests to speak about the case.
Lawyers for Lewis also asked the court Friday to order prosecutors to turn over information on four men charged in a 2002 drug case who prosecutors have called "unindicted co-conspirators" in the case against Lewis and Jackson.
Source: AP
Federal prosecutors say they have tapes that will show Lewis helped broker a cocaine deal for a childhood friend, Angelo Jackson, during conversations with the informant in 2000.
However, Lewis' attorneys claimed in court papers filed Friday and obtained by The Associated Press that there are at least two tapes of phone conversations where the informant is speaking and no one can be heard on the other end of the line. The tapes have not been made public.
In the papers, Lewis' lawyers are asking the court to order prosecutors to turn over the informant's criminal record and her real name because she has used several aliases. They said they want that information as they question the informant's credibility and need it to prepare for trial.
Lewis' lawyers allege that the informant trumped up the case against Lewis to avoid jail time in another case. They want the government to turn over other conversations they believe the informant has had with suspects that show her methods of obtaining information.
Tapes of conversations between Lewis, Jackson and the informant in June 2000 are at the heart of the government's case, which was filed in February, nearly four years after the alleged crimes.
Lewis, 24, and Jackson, 26, who both grew up in the same area of Atlanta, are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms of cocaine and using a cell phone in violation of federal law. Jackson is additionally charged with attempted cocaine possession. Both have pleaded not guilty.
No trial date has been set.
Patrick Crosby, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office, has refused repeated requests to speak about the case.
Lawyers for Lewis also asked the court Friday to order prosecutors to turn over information on four men charged in a 2002 drug case who prosecutors have called "unindicted co-conspirators" in the case against Lewis and Jackson.
Source: AP