Antigua: Allen Stanford, the accused Ponzi schemer, said his case should be dismissed because his constitutional rights were violated according to a report in the Antigua Observer. Stanford, who is accused of running a US$7 billion scam through his Antigua-based Stanford International Bank, is scheduled to go on trial from January 23.
Late Friday night and early Saturday morning Stanford’s court-appointed attorneys unleashed a barrage of legal filings in hopes of derailing the trial. In one of the filings, lead defence attorney Ali Fazel cites “repeated outrageous government conduct” during the two-and-a-half years Stanford has been held without bail. Stanford has been detained as a flight risk since his indictment in June, 2009.
The defence claims Stanford has suffered permanent physical and mental damage. While in government custody, he was savagely beaten by another inmate, underwent major surgery, and became addicted to prescription drugs.
“The Government’s negligence has resulted in the Accused suffering from diminished mental capacity and thereby has interfered with the Accused’s ability to effectively exercise his rights,” the filing says, including assisting his attorneys, cross-examination of witnesses and testifying on his own behalf.
The Antigua Observer report said that it is not clear whether any of Stanford’s latest manoeuvres has much chance for success since the judge in the case, U.S. District Judge David Hittner, has already denied requests by Stanford’s attorneys that he be declared incompetent, as well as to delay the case for three months to give them more time to prepare.
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