Conrad Black's bid to overturn fraud and obstruction of justice charges has been hit with a setback after a U.S. court denied his latest appeal.
In a unanimous decision Friday, a Chicago appeals court rejected Black's bid to review an earlier appeal which had upheld one conviction for obstructing justice and one for fraud.
Lawyers for the former media magnate had argued that the appeal court didn't properly take into account a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling when denying their client. That ruling had narrowed the focus of the charges on which Black's convictions rested, and his lawyers had hoped to use the high court ruling in their client's defense.
Black, who is out on bail after serving more than two years in a Florida jail, was initially convicted on three fraud charges and an obstruction of justice charge, offences which carried a 78-month sentence. Since Black has not served out that initial sentence, he could be re-sentenced and sent back to jail.
In October, two of his fraud convictions were thrown out by an appeals court. However, it upheld the other charges.
Black's lawyer Miguel Estrada said that his client will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
