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Lawyers seek delay of corruption trial against ex-senator

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The public corruption trial of former state Sen. Ron Calderon and his brother is likely to be postponed until August because of the massive amount of evidence that needs to be analyzed.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers filed a stipulation request Wednesday in Los Angeles federal court to move the trial from May 19 to Aug. 11. A judge still needs to approve the delay.

Calderon, 57, has pleaded not guilty to pushing workers' compensation legislation and a film industry tax credit scheme that was actually an FBI sting in exchange for $100,000 in bribes and trips. The Montebello Democrat's term expired last year.

Thomas Calderon, 60, a former lawmaker turned lobbyist, has pleaded not guilty to laundering bribes through a tax-exempt group.

Papers filed in court said the interests of the public or the defendants in a speedy trial are outweighed by the need for lawyers to evaluate more than 300,000 pages of evidence.

Prosecutors have given defense lawyers bank records, business records and public records, along with 10,000 pages of FBI documents, 3,900 pages of grand jury transcripts, 2,000 recorded telephone conversations and 200 recorded meetings, according to the stipulation.

FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2014 file photo, Department of Justice Public Affairs Officer Thom Mrozek holds a folder tagged with the names of California State Sen. Ron Calderon and his brother Tom Calderon during a news conference outside the Edward R. Royal Federal Court building in Los Angeles. The public corruption trial of former state Sen. Calderon and his brother Tom is likely to be postponed until August because of the massive amount of evidence that needs to be analyzed. Prosecutors and defense lawyers filed a stipulation request in Los Angeles federal court Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, to move the trial from May 19 to Aug. 11. A judge still needs to approve the delay. Ron Calderon, 57, has pleaded not guilty to pushing workers' compensation legislation and a film industry tax credit scheme that was actually an FBI sting in exchange for $100,000 in bribes and trips.(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) The Associated Press
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