As the criminal trial of Kevin Ring moves to it's conclusion, we pulled out some archival video of people and places connected with one of the largest criminal investigations in U.S. history, from the upcoming film "The Lobby" a story of Jack Abramoff.
The National Journal_ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2009 6:10 PM Ring Defense Likely Won't Call Witnesses Kevin Ring, former associate of imprisoned ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, will not testify in his trial, and his attorneys will likely not call any witnesses in his defense. Several witnesses the defense wanted to call have invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying. Those witnesses include David Ayres, who served as chief of staff to former Attorney General John Ashcroft; Laura Ayres, his wife; Peter Evich, who was legislative director to former Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif.; and David Lopez, who was Doolittle's chief of staff. The prosecution is expected to finish its case on Tuesday with a summarizing witness who will read into the record additional evidential e-mails, and the defense is then expected to submit statements into the record to impeach six statements in the prosecution's case. The prosecution and defense will likely present closing statements on Wednesday, and the jury is expected to go into deliberations at the end of next week. Judge Ellen Huvelle ruled today that former Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla., would not be admitted as a co-conspirator, but she did admit the rest of the officials and lobbyists on the prosecution's co-conspirator list: Doolittle and his wife, Julie; Evich; Lopez; John Albaugh, Istook's former chief of staff; Laura Blackann, Doolittle's former communications director; Ann Copland, legislative aide to former Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss.; Robert Coughlin, a former liaison in the Department of Justice's Office of Legislative Affairs; Jennifer Farley, former deputy assistant directory of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; Will Heaton, chief of staff to former Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio; Greg Orlando, Doolittle's former legislative director; and Ryan Thomas, an aide to former Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont. Listing those individuals as co-conspirators means their statements from e-mails can be admitted as evidence rather than hearsay. The classification of "co-conspirator" does not necessarily mean they are being charged with a crime. TAGS: Ring Trial