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Associated Press - November 2, 2009 12:24 PM ET
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The longtime chief investigator for the Baton Rouge Public Defender's Office admitted in federal court that he bribed a now former city prosecutor "and other court officials" to fix criminal and traffic cases in City Court and state District Court in Baton Rouge.
Edward James' guilty plea Monday is the third in a federal probe dubbed Operation Illegal Motion.
Former senior city prosecutor Flitcher Bell and recently retired Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Darrell Johnson pleaded guilty Friday to bribery charges in the federal investigation.
The 65-year-old James, who has 35 years with the East Baton Rouge Parish Public Defender's Office, pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges that alleged both bribery and extortion.
A bill of information unsealed Monday alleges James' illegal actions stretched from 2006 until last month.
Information from: The Advocate, http://www.2theadvocate.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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