Judge wants materials in Stevens case

WASHINGTON, April 6 (UPI) -- A federal judge ordered the U.S. Justice Department to turn over material linked to alleged misconduct in the case against former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.

U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan's order Sunday came several days after the Justice Department said it would ask the judge to toss Steven's conviction and indictment on corruption charges, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Sullivan is to hear Justice Department arguments on the motion Tuesday.

During Stevens's trial last year, prosecutors repeated were chastised for their handling of evidence and witnesses.

A jury convicted Stevens, R-Alaska, in October of lying on financial disclosure forms about $250,000 worth of gifts and free home renovations. Since then, an FBI agent filed a whistleblower complaint alleging prosecutorial misconduct and Sullivan has held three top Justice lawyers in contempt.

Sullivan said Sunday he wanted all evidence handed over to Stevens's attorneys and all exculpatory material tied to the FBI's allegations. He also asked for copies of prosecutors' witness notes.

Stevens, who was a U.S. senator from December 1968 until January 2009, was defeated for re-election by approximately 4,000 votes about a week after he was convicted.