Allen Stanford fails to win new trial after lawyers' 'tweets cost fair trial' claim

London, Mar 23(ANI): Former financier and professional sports sponsor Allen Stanford has failed to win a new trial, after his lawyers claimed that he did not receive a fair trial because the press were allowed to send Twitter messages from court.

US district judge David Hittner, who presided over Stanford's month-long trial in Houston, "permitted the media to tweet throughout", according to a filing by Stanford's legal team.

Stanford's lawyers also said they had not been given sufficient time to prepare a defence for their client but Judge Hittner turned down his request.

Stanford is due to be sentenced on June 14,The Telegraph reports.

He was earlier found guilty earlier this month of orchestrating a seven billion dollar Ponzi scheme that duped over 20,000 investors, who are yet to see any of their money returned. (ANI)