New Orleans trumpeter awaits sentencing in charity fraud

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The attorney for a renowned New Orleans trumpet player says nothing would be gained by sending him to jail in a million-dollar charity fraud case. Claude Kelley made the argument in federal court Wednesday on behalf of Irvin Mayfield. Irvin and his musical partner, pianist Ronald Markham, were awaiting sentencing Wednesday afternoon. Each could get five years in prison for steering more than $1.3 million from the New Orleans Public Library Foundation to themselves. Kelley says Mayfield took full responsibility for his wrongdoing. He pointed to numerous community improvement efforts by the musician and said Mayfield has “an incredible capacity to make it right.”