He said, "Tell him his best chance is to admit writing the bad checks, but to deny the extortion charge."
Both defendants face federal extortion charges that carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
The use of the extortion charge in a death penalty case is unusual.
Federal prosecutors filed extortion charges against them and they were both appointed lawyers.
Two of those judges were already awaiting trial on, extortion charges.
However, the police went after them for an extortion charge.
At the same time, the jury found him not guilty of seven other extortion charges.
He was first arrested in 1948 on extortion charges but released for lack of evidence.
The extortion charge carries a possible jail term of 20 years.
He was acquitted of two extortion charges, and faces 9 to 12 years in prison.