Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Bid-Rigging Trial Reset
The high profile bid-rigging case for former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert, road contractor Leonard Lawson and aide Brian Billings is scheduled to begin January 11th. On Monday, defense attorneys played audio recordings that captured FBI agents coaching former deputy state highway engineer Jim Rummage to act "agitated and exasperated" during phone calls to Nighbert and Lawson. Rummage claims he was paid $20,000 to obtain internal cabinet estimates which he gave to Nighbert and Lawson. U.S. District Judge Karl Forester has not yet determined whether recorded conversations should be heard by a jury in the upcoming trial.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 4:17 PM 
