A United States district judge has shot down Fugees rapper Pras’ attempt to reverse his political conspiracy conviction.
In April, Pras was convicted on charges of conspiring to make straw campaign donations, witness tampering and acting as an unregistered foreign agent for China.
In January, his former attorney David Kenner is to plead guilty to a criminal contempt charge over allegations that he leaked grand jury documents to reporters ahead of the trial.
Kenner “agreed to accept responsibility for violating the court’s protective order” and plead guilty to a misdemeanor. He allegedly leaked “swathes of sensitive internal government records” to the press.
According to court documents, Judge Kollar-Kotelly said that there was more than sufficient evidence to convict and do will not be reversing his conviction.
“After a five-week trial, a jury convicted Michel of ten counts,” she wrote. “The Court has thoroughly reviewed the extensive evidence presented at trial and finds the evidence sufficient to withstand a motion for judgment of acquittal under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 29. Accordingly, Michel’s [309] Motion for Judgment of Acquittal is DENIED.”
