Edwards Nixed Prison Term Deal

The Raleigh News & Observer today reports:

The investigation had gone on for two years. Prosecutors presented evidence and called witnesses before a grand jury in Raleigh, in the Eastern District of North Carolina. In January, the case moved from Raleigh to Washington, D.C., to the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice.

For the next few months, the defense team argued the law, saying that the payments to Edwards' mistress, Rielle Hunter, were not a violation of campaign finance statutes. The attempt to derail the case failed near the end of May, when senior officials at the Justice Department gave the go-ahead for an indictment.

With that, the choice for Edwards had narrowed: Plead or face charges.

The sides agreed decisions would come no later than Friday, hopefully sooner.

Indeed, several deadlines would come and go in the midst of a "furious back and forth" over how the case could be resolved in a plea, according to several people.

The main negotiators were Edwards' lawyer Gregory Craig and Jack Smith, chief of the Public Integrity Section. Both are based in Washington. They were looking to resolve the case short of a costly and uncertain trial.

For much of the talks, the government's offer in any plea deal would have required that Edwards admit to at least one felony.

Under a felony plea, the deal would have included a sizable fine but maybe or maybe not prison time.

Edwards refused. A felony would likely have ended his right to practice law, and Edwards doesn't believe that he committed a felony, according to people familiar with his views on the matter. Edwards has declined interview requests.