James O'Keefe, Co-Defendants Expected To Plead Guilty To Lesser Charges In Landrieu Break-In

MICHAEL KUNZELMAN | 03/26/10 05:46 PM |
AP

NEW ORLEANS — Federal prosecutors filed reduced charges Friday against conservative activist James O'Keefe and three others who were accused of trying to tamper with the phones in Sen. Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office.

The new charges are contained in a bill of information, which can only be filed with a defendant's consent and typically signals a plea deal. The new filing charges the four with entering a federal building under false pretenses, a misdemeanor. They had been arrested Jan. 25 on felony charges.

O'Keefe, a videographer famous for wearing a pimp costume in a stunt that embarrassed the ACORN community organizing group, has said the group was trying to investigate complaints that constituents calling Landrieu's office couldn't get through to criticize her support of a health care reform bill.

Eddie Castaing, an attorney for another defendant, Joseph Basel, said his client agreed to plead guilty to the new charge so he can "resolve the case and move forward with his life."

(Original here.)