Washington - Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy escaped a possibility of mandatory jail time following the dismissal by a federal judge of several charges of wrongdoing alleged by an independent counsel.
The three charges -- all connected with violating a federal meat inspection law -- were the only charges in 39 counts of wrongdoing that carried mandatory prison time, according to Charles Bakaly, spokesman for independent counsel Donald Smaltz.
Bakaly had no comment on the federal judge's decision, except to say: "We're evaluating our options." Smaltz could appeal the judge's ruling. The trial against Espy is still set to begin March 30.
The federal meat inspection law has traditionally applied only to meat inspectors in plants and the administrators of the federal program. Smaltz sought to subject Espy to the law as well, but U.S. District Court Judge Ricardo Urbina ruled that Espy could not be charged with violating that law.
While the other 36 charges do not carry mandatory jail time, Espy could still go to prison for up to 10 years if found guilty of these charges, according to Bakaly.
In September, Espy pleaded not guilty to accepting some $35,000 in gifts, Super Bowl travel and other illegal favors from companies he regulated, such as poultry giant Tyson Foods Inc The indictment also accused him of ordering a USDA employee to falsify documents sought in the probe.
Espy, 43, has repeatedly said he is innocent of any wrongdoing. The former congressman from Mississippi resigned from his Clinton Administration cabinet post in 1994 because of the allegations.
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