Kohring jury set, opening arguments begin

ANCHORAGE — A jury of 12 men and women and three alternates are hearing opening statements this afternoon in the bribery and corruption trial of former state Rep. Vic Kohring.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys thinned the jury pool for USA vs. Kohring by noon today. Jury selection began Monday.

Kohring, former Republican representative for District 14, faces up to 55 years in prison if convicted on federal charges of conspiracy, extortion and bribery. Potential jurors were brought in from around Alaska, including Bethel, Unalaska, Wasilla, Anchorage and Soldotna.

In an indictment of the former lawmaker, prosecutors allege that as early as January 2002 Kohring was provided cash payments of about $500 to $1,000 by Bill Allen, then CEO of oil services company VECO, and the company’s vice president, Rick Smith. The cash was to reward Kohring for “official acts taken and to be taken regarding [Allen] and [Smith’s] business interests,” according to the indictment.

At the behest of Allen, Kohring may have also fired his aide, Eric Musser, who had filed a complaint with the Alaska Public Offices Commission against former Rep. Bev Masek, whom Allen and VECO supported. Initially defined as a loan, $17,000 Kohring solicited from Allen and Smith to help pay credit card debt that was in collection is alleged to be a payment in Kohring’s indictment.

During jury selection Monday and early Tuesday, military members, contractors, project managers and cooks were turned away from jury service. Alaska residents who garden, fish, quilt and play hockey in their free time also didn’t make the cut. But hobbies and professions were not the only deciding factors in selecting a jury to decide Kohring’s fate, said defense attorney John Henry Browne. Browne said he and Alan Cohen, a communications psychologist, were looking for a particular type of juror.

“People with open minds,” Browne said.

Kohring and Browne said they are happy with the final makeup of the jury. Much culling of the jury came from the possibility that recent media coverage of Kohring’s case and the public corruption trials of former Reps. Tom Anderson and Pete Kott may have influenced jurors.

Though U.S. District Chief Judge John Sedwick denied Kohring’s request to move his trial to Washington State due to pre-trial publicity, many more potential jurors than is typical, 120 in total, were called to weed out jurors who may have been swayed by news coverage of Kohring’s case. The potential jurors were narrowed down to 70 before the first day of selection, then down to 57 by the end of the first day Monday.

In one secretly recorded conversation between Allen and Smith, Allen talks about having just given Kohring $1,000 and, as a result, Kohring would “kiss our ass.”

Allen testified against Kott during the former legislator’s trial.

According to the indictment, Kohring agreed to lobby for oil industry-friendly terms in the debate last year over a new industry taxation formula known as the Petroleum Profits Tax. In return, he received cash totaling about $2,500 and a $3,000 job for a relative.

Kohring, a Republican from Wasilla, was chair of the House Oil and Gas Committee before resigning in June to focus on his trial.

Contact Russell Stigall at www.russellstigall.com.

Visit the Mat-Su Valle Frontiersman online daily for the latest in the trial of former state Rep. Vic Kohring. Another story outlining opening arguments and the first witness testimony will be posted later this evening.