Disgraced mogul Black 'to appeal'

Disgraced media tycoon Conrad Black will appeal against his convictions for defrauding millions of dollars and obstructing justice, his lawyer says.

Former Daily Telegraph owner Black, 62, faces up to 35 years in jail after a three-month trial in Chicago.

But his lawyer, Edward Greenspan, said he was confident there were "viable legal issues" to appeal against.

The verdicts cap a remarkable fall from grace for Black, once one of the UK's most influential media figures.

Canadian-born Black, who was allowed to remain free on a $21m (£10.5m) bond, was found guilty on three charges of fraud and one of obstructing justice.

Juror Tina Kadisak told the Chicago Tribune newspaper the jury's decision was based on the accumulation of evidence presented over 14 weeks.

There had been no "smoking gun", Ms Kadisak said, but a video showing Black removing boxes of documents from Hollinger's Toronto offices in violation of a judge's order had been important

The jury cleared him of eight further fraud counts and one charge of racketeering.

"There wasn't enough evidence there. There just really wasn't," Ms Kadisak told the Tribune.

Judge Amy St Eve adjourned Black's bail proceedings until Thursday to allow his defence team to consult Canadian lawyers.

Black, who gave up his Canadian citizenship to sit in the UK's House of Lords, is due to be sentenced on 30 November.

Mr Greenspan said: "We came here to face 13 counts. Conrad Black was acquitted of all the central charges. They have been dismissed.