Philadelphia DA pleads guilty and resigns during corruption trial
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams/Photo by Spark49 (Wikimedia Commons.)
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams pleaded guilty to a single count related to accepting bribes on Thursday, putting an end to his federal corruption trial.
Williams pleaded guilty in exchange for dismissal of 28 of the 29 charges against him, report the Legal Intelligencer (sub. req.) and Philly.com. He submitted his letter of resignation to U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond during the hearing.
Williams was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs after Diamond refused to allow Williams to remain free before his Oct. 24 sentencing.
Williams could be sentenced to up to five years in prison. He acknowledged the conduct in all 29 counts against him in the guilty plea.
Williams had been accused of accepting a trip to the Dominican Republic, as well as other gifts in exchange for doing favors for a business owner.
