Felony convictions for 4 ex-Navy officers vacated in "Fat Leonard" bribery scandal
CBSN
The felony convictions of four former Navy officers in one of the worst bribery cases in the maritime branch's history were vacated Wednesday due to questions about prosecutorial misconduct, the latest setback to the government's years-long efforts in going after dozens of military officials tied to Leonard Francis, a defense contractor nicknamed "Fat Leonard."
U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino called the misconduct "outrageous" and agreed to allow the four men to plead guilty to a misdemeanor and pay a $100 fine each.
The surprising turn in the case came at a sentencing hearing in federal court in San Diego.
On the eve of the D-Day invasion, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower spent the remaining hours of daylight with the paratroopers who were about to jump behind German lines into occupied France. A single moment captured by an Army photographer became the most enduring image of America's greatest military operation.
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