Lawyer F. Lee Bailey turned himself in to U.S. marshals in Tallahassee March 6 to begin serving a six-month jail term after a judge held him in contempt of court. Bailey failed to obey an order to turn over $2.3 million obtained from convicted drug smuggler Claude Duboc.
Bailey contends that money from the drug dealer was for legal fees and expenses, and that he has made a good faith effort to come up with the funds. Prosecutors say that the money belongs to the government as part of the forfeiture Duboc agreed to in a plea bargain.
Bailey says Duboc paid him in stock -- which was worth about $6 million when he received it -- and is now valued at $27 million. His lawyer, Roger Zuckerman, said that Bailey has deposited $700,000 with the court and is trying to obtain a letter of credit to cover the balance.
Here is Bailey's Feb. 29 emergency motion to avoid jail.
