(on Ohio trial)-"House of Ballot Cards-The State's Case Is Shaky At Best"

[Algorem]

http://www.freetimes.com/story/4694

By James Renner

The defendants - Did they rig the recount or were they just doing their jobs? The drama began before the jury was even seated. Last Tuesday, a heated argument broke out between two lawyers in Judge Peter J. Corrigan's courtroom. The issue? The existence of a secret audiotape and handwritten notes compiled by an assistant county prosecutor who has since died of cancer. The information contained on the tape and in the documents may shed some light on why three middle-aged women were charged with misconduct during the 2004 presidential recount in Cuyahoga County.

Defense attorney Roger Synenberg was passionate about learning what was on the audiotape, since he represents one of those defendants, ballot manager Kathy Dreamer. Kevin Baxter, the special prosecutor assigned to the case, didn't want to give it up.

"It affects further investigations," Baxter told the judge. "It may compromise witnesses in future investigations. It may contain info about other uncharged suspects." Specifically, elections director Michael Vu.

Baxter has offered immunity to another defendant, Jacqueline Maiden, who worked as elections coordinator in 2004, if she'll implicate Vu in these crimes. He has offered Dreamer diversion (avoiding a criminal record, in this case) if she'll do the same. So far, neither has accepted his offer. In fact, Dreamer offered to take a polygraph to prove she doesn't know anything...