Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane smiled briefly but declined comment as she left the Montgomery County Courthouse after selecting jurors that will decide her fate on alleged perjury charges.
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Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, center, walks into the courtroom on the second day of her trial at the Montgomery County Courthouse Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016 in Norristown, Pa. “She broke the laws when her job was to uphold them”, Henry said, gesturing toward the attorney general. Lies, leaks and lawlessness, for what?
But Kane’s lawyer, Gerald Shargel, said Kane barely knew Fina – saying he quit 10 minutes after she took office in 2013 -and that she did not knowingly leak any grand jury material.
Kane, wearing a black and white plaid suit, did not react to Henry’s condemnation.
Kane nonetheless appeared confident seated at the defence table Monday beside a five-person legal team led by NY trial lawyer Gerald Shargel, perhaps best known for winning an acquittal for mob boss John Gotti.
During the selection process prospective jurors were able to pore over a two-page list of more than two dozen potential trial witnesses that included: former and current employees of the Office of Attorney General; county Judge William R. Carpenter, who supervised the grand jury that investigated Kane; Thomas Carluccio, the special prosecutor appointed by Carpenter to oversee the grand jury; Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams; and Patrick Rocco Reese, a member of Kane’s security detail who was convicted of contempt a year ago in connection with accessing email messages related to the grand jury that was investigating Kane for alleged grand jury leaks. “It just does not make sense that she would risk her reputation and her career [over him]”, he said.
The prosecution alleged Kane was out to embarrass former top state prosecutor Frank Fina, who Kane believed was responsible for a news story criticizing her for not following up on an investigation he once headed into political corruption by Philadelphia area lawmakers.
But the attorney general’s defense team is arguing otherwise, and pointed out that Kane’s deputies who were named as actually handling the secret documents that were released to the Philadelphia Daily News are going to be key prosecution witnesses against her – and at least one of them has been granted immunity.
Another deputy, Bruce Beemer, testified that he was stunned when he saw the resulting news story because he knew the leak must have come from their office.
Henry said Kane leaked two confidential investigative documents to a Philadelphia Daily News reporter, documents required by state law to remain secret. No”, Henry said. “It’s cloak and dagger the way this gets out. “I viewed it as quite problematic”.
“Lies, leaks and lawlessness made her what she is today, a criminal defendant”, Henry told the jury about Kane. Shargel suggested those associates or consultants who are expected to testify against Kane gave “flawed” and inconsistent statements that can not be trusted and did so to minimize their involvement in the alleged leak.
The defense tells jurors in opening statements Tuesday that Kane wouldn’t have risked her career over a feud with Fina.
This investigation turned up the signed oath by Kane.
Prosecutors say Kathleen Kane helped orchestrate that leak.
Kane has hired prominent lawyers to defend her: first, Bill Clinton confidante Lanny Davis and now, NY mob lawyer Gerald Shargel. He also recited the testimony Kane gave before the grand jury.
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The man she blamed for that negative press is Frank Fina, a former state prosecutor who later joined the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. From time to time, Steele returned to the projected images of documents to support their assertions of Kane’s untruthfulness. He said she did not commit a crime, however, because it was an “honest mistake” as she simply did not remember doing so.
