Judge Refuses To Postpone Ex-N.O. Mayor’s Trial

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge has refused to indefinitely postpone the bribery trial of former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, whose attorney asked for more time to gather information about a Justice Department probe of anonymous online comments posted by prosecutors.

U.S. District Judge Helen Berrigan on Friday said she would consider a brief delay in the trial if Nagin's attorney can justify it.

Berrigan said she acknowledges that prosecutors "demeaned their high offices" with their "utterly juvenile postings," but stressed that only the jury will decide whether Nagin is guilty of bribery charges.

The trial is scheduled to start Oct. 28.

Nagin was the subject of some of the anonymous posts by veteran prosecutor Sal Perricone, who was a top deputy to former U.S. Attorney Jim Letten. Perricone resigned last year.