TV Pitchman Fights to Stay Out of Jail

Infomercial king held in contempt for sparking barrage of emails
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 9, 2010 12:37 PM CDT

Kevin Trudeau, the infomercial salesman, radio host, and author, is appealing a federal judge's order that he be jailed for contempt of court after telling followers to pepper the jurist with emails. The lawyer defending the contempt ruling argues that given modern technology, a judge’s computer can be considered part of his courtroom, and that the emails amounted to an “attack.”

But Trudeau’s defense team argues that he’s been denied free process, that he was exercising his free-speech rights, and that you actually have to be in a courtroom to commit criminal contempt of court. One lawyer said today even people who send threatening mail to the president get a fair trial. “There’s nothing that says judges get more power than the president of the United States,” he said. To which a judge hearing Trudeau's appeal jokingly replied, “Do you realize where you are?” (More Kevin Trudeau stories.)

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