Muskogee Daily Phoenix
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Prosecutor: Investigator ‘intimidating’ witnesses
By Jim East
Phoenix Staff Writer
An investigator for a state prosecutor is “intimidating” government witnesses and causing them not to give complete testimony
in the federal vote fraud trial of House Speaker Dan Draper, U.S. Attorney Gary Richardson said Wednesday.
The investigator for District Attorney Gerald Hunter began listening to testimony Tuesday, the same day Hunter said he likely file state charges against witnesses who admit to state election law violations.
“It’s having a very intimidating effect on our witnesses. They are pulling up in admitting to their own conduct. It’s obstructing our case,” Richardson said.
Several government witnesses agreed to testify after Richardson’s office promised them they would not be charged in federal court, Richardson has no authority to halt charges in state court.
Hunter
, whose jurisdiction includes Adair and Sequoyah counties where the absentee ballot irregularities occurred last year, said as long as the people haven’t been charged in federal court, he could file state charges.
“I’m real disturbed about the statement in the press today that Hunter was going to file charges,” Richardson said Wednesday.
Richardson said he informed U.S. District Judge Frank Seay who is….
Seat was told for information purposes and not asked to take an action.
Richardson said he planned to contact Hunter Wednesday night to express his concern, but wouldn’t ask Hunter to pull the investigator from the courtroom.
Hunter could not be reached for comment Wednesday Night.
Although neither Richardson…..
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