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It was an extremely tense courtroom filled with mostly government officials. Moments after Kott's conviction, his daughter and girlfriend seemed to hold up the fallen former lawmaker.
"Disappointed in the verdict," said Kott.
That is all former House Speaker Kott wanted to say moments after his conviction. He emerged a silent man, far different from the man that jurors came to know on the stand and on secret recordings.
"Oh yeah, we're very disappointed," said Jim Wendt.
Kott's lawyer, Wendt,
"The jury instructions, I felt, were a little ambiguous," said Wendt.
Jurors found:
- Kott guilty of bribery, extortion and conspiracy. Kott took nearly 12,000 dollars in VECO bribes. He also thought he would get a VECO job if he performed Bill Allen and Rick Smith's wishes in the Legislature. VECO thought Kott's payoff would eventually deliver them billions of dollars.
"The promising of a job. The 7,793."
That is what Juror Number One felt the overwhelming evidence was. Monday she wrote a letter to the judge saying other jurors were putting uncomfortable pressure on her. Tuesday she says, beyond a reasonable doubt, Kott is guilty.
"We got around a table,
Governor Sarah Palin, who watched a small portion of the trial, had this to say:
- "I was shocked by some of the revelations that came out in the trial and I can understand why many Alaskans feel betrayed. But I am confident that this conviction is also a step forward to restoring
Kott is now a free man. He will be sentenced December 7, 2007.
Prosecutors had wanted him to pay a 25,000 dollar bond. The judge denied that request.
To contact Matthew, call 907-273-3186.
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