“Full House” actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, reportedly want to use trial for redemption in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal they are involved in.
The couple wants to prove they didn’t have any intention of committing a crime and feel like trial is the best way to do so, according to a report published Monday by People magazine.
As previously reported, Loughlin and Giannulli pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud and money laundering on April 15.
“Lori feels like so much damage has been done publicly that the only way for her to counter it is to fight this case in court,” the source told People. “She feels like once all the evidence is presented, that people will understand how things happened.” (RELATED: Report: Lori Loughlin And Her Husband Are ‘Outraged’ People Are Calling Them ‘Cheaters’)
“She doesn’t want to spend time in jail, but she knows that any sort of plea or conviction at this point will include jail time,” the source added. “Her only chance of avoiding jail is to go to court and be found not guilty.”
Loughlin and Giannulli have been accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to secure their daughters’ admission to the University of Southern California. The couple’s lawyers are arguing that the two didn’t know what they were doing was illegal.
“Everyone has seen snippets of the evidence, but there’s a lot more out there,” the source said. “When you look at it in context, you can argue that this is a woman who didn’t understand exactly what she was doing — and she was being counseled and guided by a man who this was his area of expertise. When the evidence comes out, she’ll have a case to make.”