BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday will sentence an Alabama attorney and his son who were convicted of defrauding investors and a bank out of millions of dollars.
Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of 210 months for Donald Watkins Sr. and 78 months for his son, Donald Watkins Jr.
In court filings, the elder Watkins said the requested sentence is disproportionately high and would be a life sentence since he is 70. A defense lawyer is asking for a sentence of 18 months or less for Watkins Jr.
A string of high-profile witnesses, including basketball star Charles Barkley and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, testified at the trial that they either lost money with Watkins or that he wrongly claimed they were involved in his business.