I remembered this case very well. This case was under then U.S. Attorney of Northern District in Alabama Alice Martin. Ms. Martin is the same U.S. Attorney involved in other selected prosecution including former Governor Don Siegelman.
HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Huntsville defense contractor Alex Latifi will be awarded $290,000 by the federal government to settle all claims related to a failed prosecution of Latifi and his company, Axion Corp., in 2007.
Latifi's company is also back doing business with the U.S. government that had accused him of sending secrets to China.
The settlement ends a nearly six-year saga for Latifi, an Iranian-born U.S. citizen. The government had charged that he sent classified information to China related to the design of the Blackhawk helicopter and also faked testing on government-contracted work.
Birmingham-based attorney Jim Barger, who, along with Henry Frohsin, defended Latifi, said he doesn't know of another instance where the federal government has voluntarily paid a criminal defendant.
"I think Mr. Latifi should feel vindicated," Barger said "And in my discussions with him, he not only feels that way, he's a proud American and a very patriotic citizen with no ill-will toward the government that abused him in the past and is making amends for it now."
Peggy Sanford, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance, said given the government's prior payment to Latifi for legal fees, Vance's office conferred with Justice Department officials in Washington and decided a settlement to resolve other claims was in the best interest of the United States.
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