SCUMTV: Black-lash ordered to remain in the U.S.

Curses foiled again...

CHICAGO (AP) - A federal judge ruled Wednesday that former media mogul Conrad Black may not travel to Canada while awaiting sentencing for swindling the Hollinger International media empire he once ran out of millions of dollars.

U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve cited a possibility that the Canadian-born newspaper executive could try to stay in his native country and then fight extradition to the United States. She said that was the main factor in her decision - not that Black might try to flee and hide. "He's not a man to run and hide ... that runs counter to what I've seen," she said.

Black, 62, is free on $21 million bond while awaiting his scheduled Nov. 30 sentencing.
In her ruling, St. Eve basically kept in place the tight travel restrictions she put in place last month. He may not stray from the Chicago area or south Florida, where he and wife, Barbara Amiel Black, own an estate.

Minutes before St. Eve's ruling, defence attorney Edward Greenspan, his voice choking with emotion, said Black merely wanted to spend time with his children in the country he still regarded as home.

"Home is more than an address in Florida or hotel in Chicago," he said. "That's why we're fighting this ... he wants to be able to go home."

St. Eve did leave open the possibility of entertaining a new motion on Black's travel options at a later date.

During Wednesday's nearly two-hour hearing, defence attorneys presented affidavits from Black saying he was essentially waiving his rights to fight extradition in Canada. But prosecutors countered that it wasn't at all clear such waivers would be valid.

Black's defence attorneys also argued that their client could lose more than $20 million in bail money if he didn't return to the United States for sentencing, and that he would also fatally undermine any chances of appeal on his conviction.

Prosecutors countered that there was no hardship for Black under current conditions of his bond.

"We don't have a good enough handle on Black's finances to be sure he'll be coming back," said leading prosecutor Eric H. Sussman, who also called the possibility of an extradition fight in Canada "too risky."

More on the story.

What in the hell is this? Did defense attorney Edward Greenspan attend the Teddy "give it back to me" Wells charm school? Give me a break with the bull crap tears for his client! It's pretty nauseating to hear the crapola excuse of Black's lack of quality time with his children. Black had plenty of time stealing from the shareholders and the company. He wasn't thinking about at that time of his "quality time" with his children back then. Glad Black is staying in the U.S. because I fear a disappearing act. And I agree with prosecutor Sussman. Black has no hardship. You won't see Black applying for welfare or getting take out food of a McDonald's happy meal, or living in a cardboard box since he had no problem to frisbee out 21 million in bail money in a heartbeat.