AGRICULTURE

Espy Motion Denied: The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia refused to dismiss nine counts against Sun Diamond Growers of California stemming from the probe of former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy. Sun Diamond goes on trial today, charged with illegally trying to influence Espy with expensive gifts and favors. In an order issued late Saturday, the court affirmed the independent counsel’s authority to bring the case against the cooperative, which had argued that seven of the nine counts were not related to alleged impropriety by Espy, but rather by his brother Henry.