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| NewsFriday, August 17, 2007 2:43 PM CDT |
Milton defense attorney calls trial 'inquisition'
BLOOMINGTON -- The defense attorney for McLean County Clerk Peggy Ann Milton told a jury this morning that his client is a victim of an inquisition. "We're not supposed to have inquisitions in this country but you've just witnessed one," attorney Lee Smith said in closing arguments. The case went to the jury at 10:15 a.m. Friday. Special prosecutor David Rands said the case against Milton involves more than postage stamps and rides home. "It involves a big principle. What do we expect from the people we elect? Mrs. Milton stole from the county of McLean and she should be convicted on all four counts," said Rands. Milton is charged with theft and official misconduct. In his remarks, Rands said Milton took advantage of her office by using county stamps to mail several hundred letters to help raise funds for the American Diabetes Association. Milton denied using the stamps for the fund-raising. She said she may have occasionally used county stamps for other charitable causes. Milton said opinions from county legal counsel indicated the actions were legal. The defense contends former employee Denise Cesario was behind the investigation into Milton's office practices. Illinois State Police Sgt. Vidal Panizio assisted with the investigation. "It's been a year now since Sgt. Panizio left the statewide terrorism unit to work on this case and this is what they came up with," Smith told the jury. Cesario testified that she saw Milton's son, Justin, working on a fundraising project in Milton's office. She also acknowledged that she was not pleased with a job change that resulted in her losing more than $2 an hour. Rands said Milton exceeded her authority by having her employee, Betzy Cowan, drive her son home to Heyworth. "It was clear from her (Milton's) testimony that she ran her office the way she wanted to run it," Rands said. |
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