June 6th, 2011
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A lawyer for VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor today quizzed potential jurors about their attitudes toward gambling, wealthy people, cursing and politics.
Lawyers are trying to ferret out any prejudices and views that would impact how they would view the vote-buying case.
McGregor lawyer Bobby Segall asked the panel of potential jurors whether they believe gambling is a sin and people who gamble, or provide a venue for gambling, automatically are condemned for their activities.
“Have you ever gambled? Any kind of gambling, including poker in your home,” Segall asked potential jurors. He also asked whether they had visited any Indian casinos.
Segall also asked the potential jurors whether they thought gambling should be illegal in the state.
Gambling will be front and center in the case that centers on efforts to pass a bingo bill last year, so lawyers are trying to find out whether potential jurors have hard-core beliefs on the subject.
McGregor, Sen. Harri Anne Smith, I-Slocomb; Sen. Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery; two former state senators, a casino spokesman, a former legislative employee and two of Montgomery’s most influential lobbyists — Tom Coker and Bob Geddie — will be on trial on charges of buying and selling votes for a gambling bill before lawmakers in 2010.
Segall also asked questions to try to find out whether any panel members would be wary of a wealthy person like McGregor.
The lawyer for self-made millionaire McGregor asked potential jurors whether they are offended by someone “who has made an awful lot of money.”
Segall suggested it is not unusual for someone who grew up poor, then made a lot of money in their career, to carry large sums of cash in their pockets. Segall asked jurors whether they naturally were suspicious of someone who walks around with a large amount of cash in their pocket.
Federal prosecutors have described the case as a “tapes-based” case built upon court-authorized wiretaps. Lobbyists and casino owners are heard on the tapes — in occasionally expletive-filled conversations — discussing the hunt for votes.
Segall cautioned potential jurors that “salty language” will come up during the trial and asked if any of them would be offended by the strong language.
Segall also asked potential jurors if they home school, use twitter, have multiple e-mail addresses or were members of the conservative group Eagle Forum.
A lawyer for Coker asked potential jurors if they have a negative view of lobbyists. Lawyers for the other defendants will question the panel next.
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