US civil rights leader's son pleads guilty

Washington, Feb 20 (AP) The son of a prominent US civil rights leader has entered a guilty plea in court to criminal charges that he engaged in an alleged scheme to spend USD 750,000 in campaign funds on personal items.
Both the former congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, and the younger Jackson's wife, Sandra, had agreed to plead guilty in deals with prosecutors. Jackson's guilty plea was to a conspiracy charge.
His wife was due in court later on a charge of filing false joint federal income tax returns for the years 2006 through 2011 that knowingly understated the income the couple received. The Jacksons were appearing separately before US District Judge Robert L Wilkins.

Both Jackson and his wife face maximum penalties of several years in prison; he also faces hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and forfeitures.