Justice Department is Dropping Case Against John Edwards

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by foxnews.com

Story Created: Jun 13, 2012 at 4:28 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jun 13, 2012 at 4:33 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C.--The Justice Department announced Wednesday that it will not retry John Edwards, two weeks after a federal judge declared a mistrial in his high-profile corruption case.

The department formally abandoned its prosecution of the former Democratic presidential candidate by filing an "order for dismissal" earlier Wednesday in U.S. District Court in North Carolina. The motion dismissed the remaining five counts against Edwards on which the jury had been deadlocked. Edwards was already found not guilty on one other count.

In a statement, Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer said the government has decided not to retry Edwards "in the interest of justice."

"We knew that this case -- like all campaign finance cases -- would be challenging," he said. "But it is our duty to bring hard cases when we believe that the facts and the law support charging a candidate for high office with a crime. 

"Last month, the government put forward its best case against Mr. Edwards, and I am proud of the skilled and professional way in which our prosecutors ... conducted this trial. The jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict on five of the six counts of the indictment, however, and we respect their judgment."
 

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