By Alabama Public Radio
Birmingham, AL – Federal Judge Karon Bowdre Thursday dismissed more charges against former HealthSouth C-E-O Richard Scrushy. The judge says prosecutors did not prove any overt acts of a crime. She is also hearing arguments on whether to dismiss more than a dozen additional charges against Scrushy, including ten counts of money laundering. Thursday, she threw out an obstruction of justice charge and the second of three Sarbanes-Oxley charges against him. The Scrushy trial is the nation's first test of the Sarbanes-Oxley law, which Congress passed in 2002. Scrushy was accused of three violations under the act. But Judge Bowdre threw out one of those charges after the prosecution rested. She threw out another Thursday, leaving just one -- false certification of financial results. Closing arguments are scheduled for Monday, and jury deliberations are set to begin Tuesday.