Black Monday; Fallen media baron is as defiant as ever, even in the face of what could be a 30-year prison term

Conrad Black, the media mogul who once ran the company that ownsthe Chicago Sun-Times, is facing sentencing today on fraud andobstruction of justice convictions.

True to form, he is approaching his day of legal reckoning with adefiant attitude, calling a prison sentence "a badge of honor" thatwill "help expose prosecutorial excesses."

Federal prosecutors say the sentence could be as much as 24 to 30years, though he could get a more lenient term.

Either way, Black told the Canadian Broadcasting Co. last week:"Prison would be a bore, but quite endurable."

"I can get on with anyone and adjust to almost anything, and Idon't consider [prison] shaming," Black said in an e-mail.

REALITY CHECK

In another e-mail exchange, Black said the prospect of going toprison "does not terrify me at all," telling Bloomberg News thathe's "ready for anything."

The 63-year-old British baron known as Lord Black of Crossharbourwas convicted July 13 of siphoning off millions of dollars through asell-off of papers owned by Hollinger International Inc., anewspaper company, and other related deals.

Under Black, Hollinger was a major media player that owned theSun-Times, the Daily Telegraph in London, the Jerusalem Post, plushundreds of community newspapers across the United States andCanada.

George Tombs, author of a Black biography titled Robber Baron,said Black is on a collision course with the reality of federalprison.

"He doesn't want to be learning new skills in a machine shop andwearing a prison uniform at his age," Tombs said. "And he may have acellmate who will tell him, do this, don't do that or even to shutup."

Longtime friend and Canadian writer George Jonas said there isanother side to Black that could help him adjust to the shock oflife as an inmate.

Black is possessed of "a strong equilibrium. He is quitejudicious. He is extremely polite and considerate of other people,"Jonas said.

NO REMORSE

Black told the Canadian Press news agency that he would not"presume to predict" what his sentence will be nor ask for mercyfrom federal Judge Amy St. Eve.

"Since I am in fact, not guilty, and the evidence is so flimsy, Iassume reasonable people understand that it would be neitherbelievable nor sensible if I suddenly started spouting false remorsefor acts I did not commit," Black told the Canadian Press.

THE TRIAL AT A GLANCE:

DEFENDANTS: Conrad Black, 63, former chairman and CEO ofnewspaper publisher Hollinger International Inc.; Jack Boultbee, 65,former Hollinger chief financial officer; Peter Atkinson, 60, formerHollinger vice president and general counsel; Mark Kipnis, 59,corporate counsel in Hollinger International's Chicago headquarters.

CHARGES: Mail and wire fraud, obstruction of justice,racketeering and tax fraud; Black faced 13 counts, Boultbee 11,Kipnis, 11, Atkinson 7.

KEY ISSUE: Noncompete payments from sales of Hollinger newspapers-- made in exchange for promises not to compete in the same marketswhere the papers circulated. Prosecutors said the money should havegone to Hollinger's shareholders, not the executives.

VERDICT: Black and his three co-defendants were all found guiltyof three counts of mail fraud. Black was also found guilty ofobstruction of justice.

Source: Associated Press