Legal sources close to Espy's defense team told CNN that prosecutors have laid "not a finger on him, " as the seventh day of the trial continues.

CNN: By Paul Courson/

Henry Espy decided not to seek re-election after more than two decades in office.

NPR: Homicide Suspected In Miss. Candidate's Death

Douglas has been key to the prosecution's case that Espy illegally accepted gifts.

CNN: By Paul Courson/

Smaltz was asked to determine whether former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy took favors from companies, including chicken-processing giant Tyson Foods, that had business before his department.

CNN: The Peril Of Prosecutorial Passion

The notion of modifying the weather dates back at least to the eighteen-thirties, when the American meteorologist James Pollard Espy became known as the Storm King, for his (prescient but widely ridiculed) proposals to stimulate rain by selectively burning forests.

NEWYORKER: The Climate Fixers

McMillian was hoping to win the office being vacated by Mayor Henry Espy Jr.

NPR: Homicide Suspected In Miss. Candidate's Death

Prosecutors called Lawrence Busboon, ex-president of Sun Diamond Growers in California, to testimony about the activities of lobbyist Richard Douglas, a longtime friend of Espy.

CNN: By Paul Courson/

In March a federal judge threw out Smaltz's case against Espy's brother Henry, saying the government didn't have enough evidence to prove that he had defrauded federal election authorities or lied to get a bank loan when he tried to win Michael's old House seat.

CNN: The Peril Of Prosecutorial Passion