A federal jury acquitted West Chester Township Trustee George Lang of perjury today, Feb. 9, after five and a half hours of deliberation, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
“I’m glad it’s over. The last eight weeks have been hell,” Lang was quoted by the Enquirer.
Federal authorities indicted Lang Dec. 15, 2010, after they determined Lang knowingly made “a false material declaration” during his testimony in the United States of America v. Orlando Carter trial in August of 2009.
On the morning after Lang was indicted, one of his attorneys, Daniel R. Warncke, said that Lang “is certain he will be vindicated” once his trial takes place.
During the trial, last week, the prosecution tried to prove that Lang knew that Jim Smith was an employee of Dynus Corp. when Lang received $360,000 from Dynus and gave $100,000 of it to Smith, according to Cincinnati.com. Around $100,000 of the sum was also given to Scott Owens, who is the former Butler County Republican executive director who went on to work for Dynus.
Lang’s attorney Ralph Kohnen tried to explain that those payments were given for consulting work and were not kickbacks like the prosecution suggests.
Cincinnati.com has had a reporter covering each day of this trial, to follow along click on the stories below.
Day 1 – “Trustee trial: Kickbacks or consulting pay?”
Day 2 – “Winesses: Lang knew about conflicts”
Day 3 – “Witness: Lang wanted stories straight”
Day 4 – “Lang witness: $ wasn’t for consulting”
Day 5 – “Witness: Lang touted Dynus”
Day 6 – “George Lang trial ‘waste of time,’ defense witness says”
Day 7 – “Jury weighs trustee’s fate”
Day 8 – “West Chester trustee found not guilty”
Posted in: Board of Trustees, Crime, News |
