Appeals court upholds conviction of UK lawyer Mills for taking bribe to protect Berlusconi
By APTuesday, October 27, 2009
Conviction of Berlusconi-linked lawyer upheld
MILAN — An appeals court has upheld the conviction of British lawyer David Mills for accepting a bribe to lie in court to protect Silvio Berlusconi.
The decision Tuesday is a potential embarrassment for the Italian premier, whose trial in the same corruption case is expected to restart soon following an Italian high court’s ruling that a law granting immunity to Italy’s highest public officials is unconstitutional.
A lower court found Mills guilty of corruption in May and sentenced him to 4 1/2 years.
The judges ruled that Mills received $600,000 to give false testimony in two 1990s trials to shield Berlusconi and his Fininvest holding company from charges relating to the purchase of U.S. film rights.
