Federal prosecutors in the John Edwards case are trying to prevent two former Federal Elections Commission chairmen from testifying as expert witnesses in the criminal case against the former presidential candidate.
In a document filed in federal court Monday, prosecutors contend that Scott Thomas and Robert Lenhard, former FEC chairmen, who have raised questions about the prosecution's definition of campaign contributions, should not be classified as expert witnesses. Prosecutors contend that what the two men would offer are legal conclusions that would usurp the authority of the judge, the trial court's "own legal expert."
"(E)xpert opinion testimony that simply states legal conclusions is generally not helpful to the jury and is properly excludable," the prosecutors argue in their motion.
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