Opinion ID: 347528
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: the hush money count

Text: 597 Count 2 of the indictment is the so-called hush money count. 11 It charges that the named defendants obstructed the due process administration of justice in order to conceal the identities of persons who were involved in the so-called Watergate break-in offenses being investigated by the Grand Jury. The basic offense charged in the indictment is that the offense was committed: 598 . . . by making cash payments and offers of other benefits to and for the benefit of the (Watergate break-in) defendants . . . and to others . . . for the purpose of concealing and causing to be concealed the identities of the persons who were responsible for, participated in, and had knowledge of the activities which were the subject of the (grand jury) investigation and trial, and by other means. 12 599 (Emphasis added). In the indictment this alleged offense followed Count 1, the conspiracy count. 600 On its face, Count 2 does not specifically allege that the defendants misused the CIA in any way in their obstruction of justice. Basically it charges an attempt to obstruct justice by concealing the identity of those responsible for initiating the Watergate break-in through (1) payments of hush money and (2) offers of moderate sentences or eventual pardons, (3) and by other means. During the trial substantial testimony was admitted on the conspiracy count that might fairly be characterized as indicating that the defendants did misuse that agency in an attempt to defraud the government. This evidence was admissible to prove the allegations of Count 1 that such acts constituted one of the means used by the appellants in their conspiracy to defraud the United States. 13