Ex-mayor's attorney says charges unproved

NEWARK, N.J., March 31 (UPI) -- Attorneys for former Newark, N.J., Mayor Sharpe James and co-defendant Tamika Riley say charges against them should be dropped for lack of evidence.

Federal prosecutors claim James steered city land to Riley and that she tried to hide proceeds from those property sales, The (Newark) Star-Ledger reported Monday.

James allegedly helped Riley, a Jersey City entrepreneur with whom he had an extramarital affair, earn more than $600,000 in profits by reselling the properties without renovating most of them, as city contracts required.

"There was not one single witness who took the stand, and under oath said that Mr. James had any involvement with Ms. Riley's land transactions,'' said Alan Zegas, one of James' two attorneys, said. "There is no support for the very serious allegations contained in the indictment."

James, 72, and Riley, 39, are charged with conspiracy and fraud. Riley is additionally charged with tax evasion, the newspaper said.