Challenge to Former Lawyer’s Securities Fraud Convictions Fails

A former Washington lawyer had his securities fraud convictions upheld by the D.C. Circuit Tuesday against a challenge that comments the prosecutor made during his rebuttal closing argument denied the lawyer a fair trial.

Brynee Baylor’s defense to her securities fraud charge was that she was duped by her business partner into taking part in the scheme. In an effort to prove Baylor’s lack of culpability, the jury was read testimony her mother gave in a related civil trial in which her mom said she invested $15,000 in the business venture.

In their rebuttal closing, the prosecutor said that Baylor’s ...