Don King Bobs And Weaves His Way To A Mistrial In Court

Don King emerged unscathed from his insurance fraud trial Friday by using the same strategy that foiled a 1984 tax evasion indictment: blaming his employees.

Prosecutors withdrew their appeal of Thursday’s mistrial ruling by U.S. District Judge Lawrence McKenna. The appeal would have been futile because some members of the jury, which proclaimed itself hopelessly deadlocked, may have discussed the case with a dismissed alternate, assistant U.S. attorney Paul Gardephe said.

The wily boxing promoter will be retried on charges of faking a contract to collect $350,000 in nonexistent training expenses for a canceled bout, said U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White. The 64-year-old showman had faced up to 45 years in federal prison and a $2,250,000 fine if convicted of nine counts of wire fraud.

The failure to convict King further burnished his Teflon Don image, which shines after two killings, two federal trials and three grand jury investigations.

King’s legal troubles began as a Cleveland numbers runner. In 1954, he killed a man who was robbing one of his gambling houses. It was ruled self-defense.

Thirteen years later, he was convicted of beating a man to death over an unpaid debt. He was imprisoned four years and was pardoned after his release.