Thursday, April 26, 2012

‘Hope’ful Espada awaits fate with Obama book

Last Updated: 6:39 AM, April 26, 2012
Posted: 12:36 AM, April 26, 2012


Maybe he’s hoping jurors will see him as a bookworm instead of as a cook-the-books worm.
With the jury in his Brooklyn federal-court corruption trial about to start weighing his fate, disgraced Bronx pol Pedro Espada Jr. brought yet another piece of reading material to court.
Yesterday, after he blew through the Bible and “Black Robes, White Justice,” a book by the late Judge Bruce “Turn ’Em Loose” Wright, the accused nonprofit-health-care-network fraudster turned his attention to “Substance of Hope,” by William Jelani Cobb, a book about President Obama’s election.
“I’m a deep guy,” the former state Senate majority leader said when asked about his latest reading material.
And the new book’s message apparently sunk in, as Espada optimistically predicted the jury would find him not guilty.
“Even though people don’t see the acquittal, it’s coming,” he predicted as prosecutors and his defense lawyer made closing statements yesterday.
“If you get between Mr. Espada and his money, watch out,” prosecutor Todd Kaminsky told the jury.
Later, Espada’s lawyer, Susan Necheles, called Espada “a kid who grew up homeless and in the projects and has worked hard his entire life and done good things.”

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/hope_ful_espada_awaits_fate_with_4N4eFq6pg2ccEfaMA97M2J#ixzz1t9KbQXFN

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