A defiant Conrad Black, facing the prospect of years in a U.S. prison, has chosen to remain anything but silent ahead of his sentencing on Monday.

Despite opinions from some legal quarters that it would be better for him if he showed some sign of remorse or at least kept quiet, Black is having none of that.

Conrad Black, seen leaving court in August, will return on Monday for his sentencing.
(Jerry Lai/Associated Press)

In a series of e-mails to the CBC and other media organizations in the last few days, Black has railed against the "injustice" of his convictions and vowed to continue fighting to clear his name and "expose prosecutorial excesses."

His latest correspondence — with the Canadian Press news agency — showcased more of that feistiness.

"I will not presume to predict what the judge might do, but since I am in fact, not guilty, and the evidence is so flimsy, I assume reasonable people understand that it would be neither believable nor sensible if I suddenly started spouting false remorse for acts I did not commit," Black said in an e-mail.

The former media baron pointed out that he wasn't "slagging" the U.S. justice system and felt he was "extremely respectful of the judge in this case" during a recent interview with BBC Radio.  

Black is facing the possibility of up to 35 years in prison when he appears in front of Judge Amy St. Eve in a Chicago courtroom.

Prosecutors are asking that Black's apparent lack of remorse be considered when the sentence is pronounced. They're pressing for a lengthy term upward of 20 years. But a leaked pre-sentence report is apparently calling for a much lighter sentence of five to seven years.

One legal observer of the case doesn't think Black's comments will have much of an impact on the sentence. "Judges … weigh a statement by a defendant like Conrad Black, who intends to pursue an appeal, and know that he can't take a position inconsistent with that," Chicago defence lawyer Hugh Totten told CBC News.  

In July, Black was convicted of three counts of mail fraud relating to the diversion of millions of dollars in non-compete payments from the sale of Hollinger newspapers. Black was also found guilty of one count of obstruction of justice for removing boxes of documents from his Toronto office. He was acquitted of nine other charges — including racketeering.

Black, for his part, remains unbowed by the prospect of jail. In a series of e-mails with CBC News earlier this week, he said if he does head to prison, it would "only compound the injustice of this entire vendetta."

Prison 'a badge of honour'

Prison would be "a bore, but quite endurable," he wrote. He also had no time for suggestions that a jail sentence would be "shaming." Prison, he said, would be "a badge of honour to help expose prosecutorial excesses."

CBC reporter Mike Hornbrook asked him, again by e-mail, if he was sorry for what happened at Hollinger when he was in charge and if he'll apologize or ask the judge for leniency.

Black's cryptic response: "Wait until Monday," he wrote, "and learn the answers."  

Black won't be the only defendant in the case to face sentencing Monday morning. His three co-accused, Peter Atkinson, John Boultbee and Mark Kipnis, were also convicted of three counts of mail fraud. The judge later threw out one of the convictions against Kipnis.

It is unclear whether Black would be incarcerated immediately, if sentenced to prison. 

 He is appealing his convictions. 

With files from the Canadian Press