Conrad Black has been convicted on the strongest charges against him but acquitted by the jury on the majority of the charges, including racketeering.
It is obvious that the jury considered the evidence carefully and was able to distinguish appropriate payments and expenses from the truly egregious taking of corporate funds. Black was, for example, acquitted of charges relating to the "non compete" payments on the CanWest sale. There the purchaser wanted the promise of Black not to just come back and set up a new paper in competition with National Post. The jury did, however, convict Black of fraud in the taking of funds as "non compete" payments when other purchasers never asked for such terms.
Black was also convicted of obstruction for removing 13-boxes of documents from his Toronto offices. That charge carries a possible 20-year term, making it the most serious conviction Black faces.
Overall my impression is that Black received both justice and fairness.
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