Washington - Former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy will go on trial Oct. 1 for allegedly accepting sports tickets, travel and other favors from poultry companies he regulated, prosecutors said Friday.
The trial of Espy, who resigned from office in 1994, will mark the culmination of a three-year investigation by independent counsel Donald Smaltz.
A preview of the case will occur later this month when two Tyson Foods Inc.lobbyists face trial for allegedly giving $12,000 worth of gifts to Espy to influence U.S. Agriculture Department regulations.
Jury selection begins June 15 in the independent counsel's case against Archie Schaffer, a Tyson vice president, and Jack Williams, the company's Washington-based lobbyist, a spokesman for Smaltz said.
A trial date for the Espy case was set Thursday at a federal court hearing, following months of postponements.
All three men have said they are innocent of any wrongdoing.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
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