‘Come to Jesus’
“Can somebody in Texas who might be accused of having someone sit for a test for their daughter be properly joined at trial with an individual in California who’s accused of paying more than $500,000 in bribes?” said Brad Bailey, a former federal prosecutor in Boston, sketching out an argument parents will make to sever trials from one another.
At trial, defense lawyers will zero in on potential weaknesses in the government’s case. Bailey, who isn’t involved in the case, expects them to attack Singer’s credibility by arguing, “He told us this was all proper. We really thought we were making a legitimate charitable contribution. College admissions is messy, and people do give buildings to schools to get their kids in.”
Defense lawyers will “come hard after Mr. Singer,” saying “he has a reason to take down as many people as he can by lying,” Bailey added.
In the end, though, some of the indicted parents may have a reckoning.
“It’s a defendant-specific thing,” said Ferrone. “You have people who said initially, ‘I didn’t do anything illegal,’ but as they start reading emails and see the evidence and context,” they may contemplate a conviction and “have what we defense lawyers call the ‘come to Jesus’ moment and decide, ‘I don’t really want to risk going to trial or begging for mercy from the court.’”
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.