Conrad Black's lawyer again accused the star prosecution witness against the former media baron of habitual lying.
As David Radler, Lord Black's long-time business partner turned informant, took the stand for a fifth day, defence attorney Edward Greenspan continued an assault on his veracity, this time using testimony Radler gave just last week in the fraud trial.
Radler, who has pleaded guilty in the case and faces jail time, testified last Thursday that he had reviewed statements he made to a special committee that had investigated Hollinger International, the media giant he and Black built over 30 years.
But yesterday Radler said the "review" was actually a back-and-forth with prosecutors who were questioning him in preparation for the trial. He said he must have misunderstood Mr Greenspan's question last week about what he had reviewed. "I had no access to those statements," Radler said.
"I can only give you the facts. I have never seen my statements before the special committee" that investigated Hollinger, he said.
"Or it's apparent that you're just a liar," Mr Greenspan said. "It's easy for you to lie, is it not?"
"I don't believe I have to answer that," Radler replied.
Lord Black (62), a Canadian-born member of Britain's House of Lords, is charged with racketeering, fraud, money-laundering and obstruction of justice.
If convicted, he faces up to 101 years in prison, millions in fines and $92 million (€68 million) in forfeitures. Three co-defendants face lesser charges, but all four men together stand accused of stealing $60 million from Hollinger International.
In testifying for the prosecution, Radler has described how money flowed from the sale of newspapers and other properties he and Lord Black sold off. The money includes millions of dollars in non-compete payments that the US government says Lord Black and the others pocketed instead of sending the funds to Hollinger International.
Non-compete payments are designed to prevent a seller from re-entering the same market. Lord Black and the others are accused of using part of the payments as illegal bonuses for themselves.
Yesterday Mr Greenspan also questioned whether several phone calls between Lord Black and Radler in 1999 and 2000 that Radler had testified to last week really took place. Mr Greenspan suggested that the only evidence Radler had about the calls was his own recollection. "That's correct," Radler said.
