Tuesday, October 6, 2009 8:20 AM
Ring Trial Heads To Jury Deliberations
In the trial of Kevin Ring, a former associate of imprisoned ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, dozens of names of lobbyists and public officials have been thrown around, countless sporting events and concerts have been discussed and meal after meal has been questioned. But in its final words Monday before the jury was to begin deliberations, the prosecution reminded the 12 individuals who will reach a verdict exactly who was on trial.
"Today is about Kevin Ring," Michael Ferrara, an attorney for the Department of Justice, said during the prosecution's rebuttal of the defense's closing arguments. "It all comes down to Mr. Ring's intent -- no one else's. It is his words [in e-mails] that make his intent plain as day."
But while focusing on Ring, the prosecution also reminded the jury that he was allegedly part of a larger story. To date, 20 people have been convicted, pleaded guilty or are awaiting trial in relation to the Abramoff scandal, and the prosecution questioned how Ring could be the only one who was not guilty.
Ring "wants you to believe everyone got it wrong except him," Ferrara said. "It doesn't make sense, ladies and gentlemen. This was a team -- Team Abramoff."
In its closing arguments, the defense attacked the credibility and trustworthiness of the prosecution's cooperating witnesses, who have already pleaded guilty for involvement in the Abramoff scandal. But the prosecution asked the jury to trust the testimony that was given under oath.
"Mr. Ring chose those witnesses," Ferrara said. "He chose those witnesses when he chose who he was going to commit crimes with."
The defense also attacked the prosecution's decision not to call several witnesses who were often referenced during the trial, like former Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif., and former members of Doolittle's staff, as well as Abramoff himself.
But the prosecution argued in rebuttal that it was not necessary to call those witnesses because their intents and actions were archived in emails, which "they never thought anyone would read."
"You have heard hundreds of words from them," Ferrara said.
He said that the witnesses called by the prosecution were the ones who mattered most because they were staffers who received tickets and meals from Ring and "Team Abramoff" -- like John Albaugh, chief of staff to former Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla., and Ann Copland, former legislative aide to Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. -- as well as members of Team Abramoff who worked closely with Ring for years.
"We put the witnesses on who were on the front lines with Mr. Ring," Ferrara said, adding that if more witnesses had been called, "the only thing it would have changed is the length of the trial."
The jury's deliberations have now begun. The jury must come to a unanimous decision on the eight counts of criminal charges.
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Wednesday, December 21, 2011
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