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| John Edwards lawyers attack credibility of key witness in campaign funds trial | John Edwards lawyers attack credibility of key witness in campaign funds trial |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Defence lawyers in the trial of John Edwards have launched a stinging attack on the credibility of the principal prosecution witness in the trial of the discredited former US senator and vice-presidential candidate. | Defence lawyers in the trial of John Edwards have launched a stinging attack on the credibility of the principal prosecution witness in the trial of the discredited former US senator and vice-presidential candidate. |
| Prosecutors have used the former aide, Andrew Young, to try and establish that Edwards knew that $900,000 given by a pair of wealthy supporters to install his mistress, Rielle Hunter, in a flat and hide her pregnancy from voters amounted to an illegal campaign contribution. | Prosecutors have used the former aide, Andrew Young, to try and establish that Edwards knew that $900,000 given by a pair of wealthy supporters to install his mistress, Rielle Hunter, in a flat and hide her pregnancy from voters amounted to an illegal campaign contribution. |
| Young was once so loyal that he falsely claimed parentage of the child in order to protect Edwards's political career and to keep it from the candidate's wife, who was being treated for cancer. | Young was once so loyal that he falsely claimed parentage of the child in order to protect Edwards's political career and to keep it from the candidate's wife, who was being treated for cancer. |
| Edwards, who was John Kerry's vice-presidential candidate during the 2004 election, ran for the Democratic party's presidential nomination in 2008 during which the National Enquirer first revealed his affair. | Edwards, who was John Kerry's vice-presidential candidate during the 2004 election, ran for the Democratic party's presidential nomination in 2008 during which the National Enquirer first revealed his affair. |
| On Thursday, Edwards' lawyer, Abbe Lowell, called Young a liar and asked why he had written in his memoir, The Politician, that the donations "were gifts, entirely proper, and not subject to campaign finance laws" while now claiming that they were illicit donations. | On Thursday, Edwards' lawyer, Abbe Lowell, called Young a liar and asked why he had written in his memoir, The Politician, that the donations "were gifts, entirely proper, and not subject to campaign finance laws" while now claiming that they were illicit donations. |
| "I was scared to death," said Young who has been granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony. "I did this to cover my butt." | "I was scared to death," said Young who has been granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony. "I did this to cover my butt." |
| Earlier, Young described to prosecutors a complex scheme to take hundreds of thousands of dollars from Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, a banking heiress, and Fred Baron, a Texas millionaire who has since died, and route the money to look after Hunter and the child. | Earlier, Young described to prosecutors a complex scheme to take hundreds of thousands of dollars from Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, a banking heiress, and Fred Baron, a Texas millionaire who has since died, and route the money to look after Hunter and the child. |
| Prosecutors showed the jury cheques Mellon wrote to her interior designer, who endorsed them to Young and his wife, Cheri. Young said Edwards called the cheques "Bunny money". | Prosecutors showed the jury cheques Mellon wrote to her interior designer, who endorsed them to Young and his wife, Cheri. Young said Edwards called the cheques "Bunny money". |
| Prosecutors portrayed that as evidence that Edwards knew the scheme was illegal, because it benefited his election campaign and therefore amounted to a contribution above the permitted $2,300 personal donation. | Prosecutors portrayed that as evidence that Edwards knew the scheme was illegal, because it benefited his election campaign and therefore amounted to a contribution above the permitted $2,300 personal donation. |
| Edwards has claimed he did not know about the money because it was directed through Young's bank account. He has also claimed that his attempt to shield Hunter and her child from public scrutiny was to prevent his wife finding out about the baby, although she already knew about the affair, and was not a political move. It is not clear if Edwards will take the stand in his own defence. | Edwards has claimed he did not know about the money because it was directed through Young's bank account. He has also claimed that his attempt to shield Hunter and her child from public scrutiny was to prevent his wife finding out about the baby, although she already knew about the affair, and was not a political move. It is not clear if Edwards will take the stand in his own defence. |
| Lowell challenged Young's account, suggesting that he was the one taking the money and attempting to grind down his credibility in part by bombarding him with questions about places and dates of events the former aide relates in his book. Young responded to many of the questions by saying that he could not remember. | Lowell challenged Young's account, suggesting that he was the one taking the money and attempting to grind down his credibility in part by bombarding him with questions about places and dates of events the former aide relates in his book. Young responded to many of the questions by saying that he could not remember. |
| Lowell also accused Young of exaggerating his knowledge of the relationship between Edwards, Hunter and Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, who died of breast cancer in 2010, in order to sell more books. | Lowell also accused Young of exaggerating his knowledge of the relationship between Edwards, Hunter and Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, who died of breast cancer in 2010, in order to sell more books. |
| Young told the court how he angrily confronted Edwards over the affair after it was made public in the press. At the time Edwards publicly denied the relationship with Hunter or being the father of their child, who is now four years old. | Young told the court how he angrily confronted Edwards over the affair after it was made public in the press. At the time Edwards publicly denied the relationship with Hunter or being the father of their child, who is now four years old. |
| Young said he told Edwards that if he did not acknowledge the child's paternity he would make public emails, voicemails and a sex tape made by Hunter. He said Edwards responded: "You can't hurt me, Andrew. You can't hurt me." | Young said he told Edwards that if he did not acknowledge the child's paternity he would make public emails, voicemails and a sex tape made by Hunter. He said Edwards responded: "You can't hurt me, Andrew. You can't hurt me." |
| Lowell asked Young if he had fallen in love with Edwards. | Lowell asked Young if he had fallen in love with Edwards. |
| "A lot of people in the country did," Young replied. | "A lot of people in the country did," Young replied. |
| "Did you fall out of love with him?" Lowell asked. | "Did you fall out of love with him?" Lowell asked. |
| "I did, yes sir," Young replied. | "I did, yes sir," Young replied. |
| "You really hate him, don't you?" asked the lawyer. | "You really hate him, don't you?" asked the lawyer. |
| "I have mixed feelings," said the former aide. | "I have mixed feelings," said the former aide. |
| Edwards' already battered reputation was further soiled when Young described him as saying that his wife was making his life "hell" by waking him in the middle of the night to scream at him about the affair with Hunter. | Edwards' already battered reputation was further soiled when Young described him as saying that his wife was making his life "hell" by waking him in the middle of the night to scream at him about the affair with Hunter. |
| The judge in the case, Catherine Eagles, on Thursday rejected an attempt to block evidence that could prove even more embarrassing to Edwards. Hunter's lawyers had sought to keep under wraps the sex tape of her with Edwards, which is the subject of a separate court case along with other evidence of their relationship. | The judge in the case, Catherine Eagles, on Thursday rejected an attempt to block evidence that could prove even more embarrassing to Edwards. Hunter's lawyers had sought to keep under wraps the sex tape of her with Edwards, which is the subject of a separate court case along with other evidence of their relationship. |
| If convicted of all charges, Edwards faces up to 30 years in prison and $1.5m in fines. | If convicted of all charges, Edwards faces up to 30 years in prison and $1.5m in fines. |
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