Sen. Wilkerson Seeks Free Lawyer In Bribe Case

A Massachusetts state senator who was photographed by the FBI allegedly stuffing bribe money under her sweater has told a federal judge she can't afford a lawyer to tackle her case.

Her current attorney, Max D. Stern, asked U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Timothy Hillman in court documents Friday to appoint him to represent Wilkerson.

Wilkerson was arrested last month on charges of attempted extortion as a public official and theft of honest services as a state senator. The 53-year-old state senator is accused of accepting $23,500 in bribes from undercover agents she believed were businessmen.

Wilkerson lost her re-election bid in the September primary to fellow Democrat Sonia Chang-Diaz.