Colin Powell praises Stevens at corruption trial

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell leaves federal court in Washington, Friday, Oct. 10, 2008, afte...(more) Former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Friday praised Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens' sense of honor at his trial on corruption charges, calling his reputation for honesty and integrity "sterling" in the quarter-century they've known each other. "As we say in the infantry, this is a guy you take on a long patrol," said the retired four-star Army general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Federal prosecutors have accused Stevens of trying to hide more than $250,000 in renovations to his Alaska cabin and other gifts from Bill Allen, former head of the oil services company VECO Corp. But when defense attorney Brendan Sullivan asked Powell to describe Stevens' reputation for honesty and integrity, Powell's... [read full story]