Kohring’s future in jury’s hands

ANCHORAGE — Vic Kohring fought back tears Wednesday morning as a jury of seven men and five women prepared to retire and deliberate his future.

The former seven-time state House representative from Wasilla, Kohring, in his familiar blue suit and red tie, was mostly quiet as federal prosecutors and his defense team made their closing arguments to conclude more than a week of testimony. Kohring faces up to 55 years in prison if convicted of four counts each of bribery, extortion and conspiracy for allegedly taking bribes from former VECO Corp. executives.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Sullivan and Joseph Bottini continued to exert pressure on Kohring their closing remarks to open the day in court. When referring to the former lawmaker, prosecutors paused, pointed at Kohring and said “that guy right there” sold his political office to former VECO CEO Bill Allen and former VECO vice president Rick Smith.

Bottini said the relationship between Allen and Kohring was more businesslike than one of friendship. Allen gave money to Kohring for two reasons: One was because Allen felt sorry for the legislator, who slept on his office couch and lives in a trailer at his parents’ home in Wasilla. This is the same Kohring who had earned between $80,000 and $100,000 annually.

Kohring’s decision to not take the witness stand in his own defense may have spared the former representative a long revelation as to where his three-figure legislative and consulting income disappeared, Bottini said.

Sullivan followed Bottini with a review of the more than 20 exhibits of evidence the government showed the jury during four days of presenting the prosecution’s case, including audio and video tapes that have Kohring on them asking for and taking money from Allen.

Kohring violated his bond up public trust, Sullivan said.

Bottini said Allen decided to help federal investigators when he saw, specifically, a video where he handed cash to Kohring ostensibly for his stepdaughter’s Easter.

“He knew his hash was cooked when he saw that video,” Bottini said, debunking the defense’s strategy of trying to discredit Allen as a drunk with mental problems who only told prosecutors what they wanted to hear to save his own hide.

Bottini said Allen plead guilty because he believed he was. “I knew what I was doing was wrong,” Bottini said Allen had testified.

John Henry Browne, a Seattle-based defense attorney representing Kohring, said in his closing argument that the testimony of Allen can’t be trusted. Browne waxed patriotic and asked the jury to walk a mile in Kohring’s shoes.

“Have you ever been in a situation where the federal government is coming after you?” Browne asked. “There is no end to that deep pocket.”

In contrast to the government’s sophisticated use of technology to present its closing arguments, Browne hauled out a pair of wooden easels to prop up his foam-board visuals. The first board read in black ink, “Not Guilty means Not Proven.” Browne said the government never proved any of its allegations against Kohring.

The money, as much as about $2,600 overall, Allen gave Kohring was all legal campaign contributions and gifts between friends, Browne said. Allen was a Kohring supporter, supplying 8 percent to 10 percent of Kohring’s campaign funds. Allen was also listed as a supporter on Kohring’s legislative office “red carpet” list, a listing investigators found on Kohring’s computer listing people the former lawmaker considered “friends,” “supporters” and “lobbyists.”

When it comes down to it, Browne asked the jury to consider the trustworthiness of Allen and Smith as witnesses against Kohring.

“The way [Allen] looks, the way he acted on the stand, would you buy a car from Bill Allen?” Browne asked.

After hearing closing arguments and instructions, the jury retired to begin its deliberations shortly before Noon on Wednesday and were sent home at 4:30 p.m. without having reached a verdict. The jury will begin its deliberations again Thursday at 9 a.m.