Pete Kott Trial - The Underlying Stories

Having my laptop in court yesterday, meant I could take almost (emphasis on almost) verbatim notes. But six hours of lawyers pulling words out of witnesses mouths is pretty tedious. So how does one tell this story? Or maybe more accurately, which stories should one tell?

Story 1: How the attorneys tell their stories.

The main story is the story of the defendant. The government is trying to show the jury the story of how Pete Kott got payments for his work as a legislator. From the approximately 9500 monitored phone calls six months of video (according to Agent Dunphy) they have culled less than 25 for the jurors to hear the words of Pete Kott, Bill Allen, and Rick Smith (mainly) talk about Kott "doing whatever it takes" to get the Petroleum Profits Tax bill passed at the 20/20 (20% tax and 20% credits for investing) level and to push the gas pipeline. Both of these would ensure continued business for Allen's oil service supply company, Veco. In exchange we hear that Kott received political polls paid for by Veco. Kott gets an extra $7,000 (over the $12,000 fee) for refinishing the hardwood floors in Allen's house. And he gets the promise of a good job when he leaves the legislature.

All this has to be woven together from the bits and pieces of audio and video tape, invoices, checks, phone records, etc.

Monday, Kott's attorneys will begin in earnest to take the same facts and show how they mean something totally different. They've given hints in the cross-examination. Kott has simply been doing his job to represent his constituents by promoting the economy of Alaska by strongly promoting legislation that he believes will be a great benefit to all Alaskans. Yes, he's good friends with the Veco executives. All candidates work to support their political allies' causes and get campaign donations because they have the same political beliefs. But when Kott disagrees on issues with Veco, he votes his own way.

Then there are the stories the attorneys tell when the jury is out of the courtroom. These are the stories they use to convince the judge to grant them the use of some evidence or to prevent the opposing attorney from using some tactic. These stories that help build the professional biographies of the attorneys and the judges.

Story 2: How the press tell their stories.

Story 3: The stories of our culture, indeed of humanity, that the trial reveals.

I'll work on Stories 2 and 3 in later posts.