March 31, 2017 - 12:52 PM
PHILADELPHIA - The Latest on Philadelphia Prosecutor-Gifts (all times local):
3:40 p.m.
Philadelphia's top prosecutor will voluntarily suspend his law license but remain on the job as his staff fights federal bribery and extortion charges.
District Attorney Seth Williams says he will remain in the $175,000-a-year post in an administrative role. The office has about 300 prosecutors.
Williams is accused of taking more than $100,000 in gifts in exchange for favours. The two-term Democrat says he got into financial problems after a divorce.
Former colleague Thomas Burke signed on Friday as Williams' lead lawyer. The city stopped paying Williams' prior attorney once he was indicted.
The FBI has been investigating Williams' finances for nearly two years.
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11:50 a.m.
A former colleague says he plans to represent Philadelphia's top prosecutor in a federal bribery case despite his client's financial problems.
An irate federal judge has ordered District Attorney Seth Williams to return to court Friday afternoon with a lawyer. He says Williams had plenty of time to prepare for last week's indictment given the long FBI investigation.
Lawyer Thomas Burke said Friday he plans to take the case. He and Williams started together at the prosecutor's office in 1992. Burke said there's no evidence Williams sold his office.
Williams is accused of taking more than $100,000 in gifts in exchange for favours. The two-term Democrat says he got into financial problems after a costly divorce.
The city stopped paying his prior attorney once he was indicted.
Williams remains in the $175,000-a-year job.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017