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Berlusconi fails in bid to recuse judges

Ex-Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (L) failed Wednesday in a bid to have judges recused from a Milan trial in which he's accused of bribing a tax lawyer. Pictured with Rissian President Dmitry Medvedev (R). UPI Photo/Alex Volgin..
Ex-Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (L) failed Wednesday in a bid to have judges recused from a Milan trial in which he's accused of bribing a tax lawyer. Pictured with Rissian President Dmitry Medvedev (R). UPI Photo/Alex Volgin.. | License Photo

MILAN, Italy, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Ex-Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi failed Wednesday in a bid to have judges recused from a Milan trial in which he's accused of bribing a tax lawyer.

Lawyers for Berlusconi, also a media magnate, had claimed bias by judges after they reduced the number of witnesses and sped the trial, in which a verdict is likely Saturday, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

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Milan prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison term for Berlusconi for allegedly paying off British tax lawyer David Mills to remain silent about evidence in two of Berlusconi's previous trials.

Berlusconi has maintained he is innocent and has been targeted by politically motivated judges.

Mills has testified $600,000 prosecutors say Berlusconi received as a bribe came not from him but from another person.

Berlusconi is also on trial in a case involving allegations he paid for sex with an underage prostitute and used his power to cover it up.

In other trials, he faces allegations of fraud at his media empire and accusations he was involved in publication of an illegally obtained wiretap, ANSA said.

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