Lawyers for Conrad Black are asking for his Nov. 30 sentencing hearing on fraud and obstruction convictions to be delayed.

Black's attorneys say they need a "short extension" to prepare their reply to a prosecution pre-sentencing hearing report. If the delay is granted, sentencing of Black and three other co-defendants could be postponed to mid-December.

Black and his co-defendants — Mark Kipnis, John Boultbee and Peter Atkinson were convicted July 13 by a Chicago jury on three charges each of mail fraud. Black was convicted on one count of obstruction of justice for removing boxes from his Toronto office.

The four defendants were alleged to have pocketed millions of dollars through Hollinger International deals.

On Monday, the judge who oversaw the summer hearing ruled out a request for a new trial.

"The government introduced more than enough evidence to support each defendant's convictions on the mail fraud counts and defendant Black's obstruction of justice conviction" with one exception, Judge Amy St. Eve said in her ruling. The judge overturned one of Kipnis' mail fraud convictions.