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O Radler, Radler! Where art thou David Radler?

Patricia Best, August 6, 2008 at 9:30 AM EST

With former Hollinger executives Peter Atkinson and Jack Boultbee recently installed in their new prison abodes south of the border, a Nobody's Business reader was wondering about the whereabouts of David Radler.

Mr. Radler, of course, was Conrad Black's long-time business partner who also faced various criminal charges and the inside man who offered to co-operate with U.S. prosecutors in their pursuit of Lord Black and his Hollinger coterie.

Turns out, the British newspaper The Evening Standard, which continues to have a lively interest in all things Black (editor Veronica Wadley is married to Lord Black's most recent and most hard-hitting biographer Tom Bower), has an update.

In the paper's "Londoners Diary" column a week or so ago, an anonymous author with an evident grasp of the minutiae of the Hollinger case speculated that Mr. Radler might not be getting the friendly treatment he expected from U.S. law enforcement.

Yes, he is serving a short 29-month sentence. But despite Mr. Radler's plea bargain and his extensive testimony in court against Lord Black and the others, five months into his sentence he continues to languish at Moshannon Valley Correctional Facility in Philipsburg, Pa.

"There are still no signs that Radler is about to be shipped out from his American prison cell," the Standard reported.

"He has paid millions in restitution and was fined $250,000. As part of his plea bargain, prosecutors agreed not to oppose Radler's request to serve his time in his native Canada, a transfer that could reduce his sentence to as little as six months thanks to Canadian release protocols. But it is now thought that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald was unimpressed by the evidence which Radler gave and is in no hurry to help him transfer to a jail north of the border. Radler can be transferred only with Fitzgerald's consent.

"Despite being the prosecution's star witness, Radler's testimony was often contradictory and appeared to exasperate prosecutors. And it is thought a much tougher sentence could have been landed on Black if Radler had been more reliable in court."

 

  1. Ken Cox from Nipissing, writes: Why is it that we don't hear from Radler while Black is all over the news, continuing to publish his column? It's unfair that Radler, who admitted his crimes and took it like a man, gets the worse treatment - and is being denied a key part of his plea bargain, a return to Canada.

    Meanwhile, Conrad Black is enjoying his time in jail, teaching a 'captive' audience about American history. Heck, Black even brags in a recent email message that "I have practically unlimited access to email, the media, visitors, and the telephone."
    (See http://www.independent.ie/world-news/north-america/blacks-searing-views-from-jail-cell-1445716.html). It makes me wonder why Black is bothering to appeal his conviction if life is so good in jail.

    Seriously, if Conrad Black had any integrity, he would be arguing that Radler should be released. After all, if Black's use of non-competes was approved and above board, the same rules should apply to Radler's use of the 'splendid conveyance'.
  2. Richard E. Gower from Canada writes: No one should feel sorry for David Radler, but if prosecutors can renege on pre-trial agreements, for any reason, it does not speak well for the justice system.
  3. Louise M. from Canada writes: I wouldn't be surprised if the reason Radler is still in a US prison is because the Canandian government doesn't want him transferred back.

    I am also pretty sure that Radler has the same access to email, media, visitors and telephone, etc. as all prisoners in low security facilities would. It is no special treatment for Black. And why shouldn't Black teach in the prison? Everyone is given a job to do, and I assume that one was given to him. He probably does a better job of that than he would peeling potatoes.

    And Ken Cox...why on earth would Black, Atkinson or Boultbee argue that Radler be released? Seriously!! Even though the jury failed to recognize that his testimony exonerated them, he WAS the star witness for the prosecution. Let him argue his own case........
  4. Al Smith from Canada writes: U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is the one who ought to be imprisoned forever.
  5. Ken Cox from Nipissing, writes: @Louise M: It's called Intellectual Honesty. Black can't argue that he's unjustly imprisoned while saying Radler deserves jail for doing the exact same thing. They were partners, don't forget.

    True, Lord Black is probably a poor potato peeler but I'm sure with his advanced intellect he could master latrine cleaning. I guess the U.S. Bureau of Prisons has learned to treat the incorrigible baron with the same respect he bought in the House of Lords.

    To me, Radler and Black are both slimes and deserve jail with no Internet access at all. However, since Radler at least 'fessed up (and shut up), he's the better man in my book.
  6. Louise M. from Canada writes: Ken Cox..... It was not Black who "(said) Radler deserves jail.....",it was Fitzgerald et al, and if Radler wants to retract his "confession" he may be free to do so himself. However, Radler confessed to things that were not crimes in order to get immunity for the things he did (on his own) that were. Allegedly manipulating the circulation figures at the Chicago Sun Times is one, for example.

    Your comments on latrine cleaning and "slimes" do not deserve a response...other than to say just that. Seriously!
  7. Ken Cox from Nipissing, writes: BTW, Radler is marked as "Released" on September 18, 2008 from the U.S. prison system:

    http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&FirstName=F&Middle=David&LastName=Radler&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=55&y=13

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