Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s testimony aired
State Attorney General Kathleen Kane, center, walks into the courtroom at her trial at the Montgomery County Courthouse Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016 in Norristown. (Dan Gleiter/PennLive.com via AP, Pool)
(Norristown) — Day two of state Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s criminal trial is slated to begin today.
One of the state’s key witnesses is expected to take the stand.
Bruce Beemer was Kane’s second-in-command in June 2014 when he read an article in the Philadelphia Daily News he said “shocked” him.
The story was based on two documents from a 2009 grand jury investigation into the finances of Jerry Mondesire, the former head of the Philadelphia NAACP who was notultimately charged with a crime.
Beemer told the jury he was shocked because those documents are required by state law to remain confidential.
He is a key witness in the state’s case against the attorney general who is accused of leaking the secret investigative material and lying about it under oath.
During opening statements, Kane’s defense team argued she wanted the public to know about the failed Mondesire probe, but did not authorize leaking secret documents to do so.
Beemer is expected to continue his testimony when the trial resumes this morning.
Excerpts of Kane’s grand jury testimony were discussed. They show Kane acknowledging she wanted the public to know her predecessors had dropped the investigation and discussed it with top deputy Adrian King.
Prosecutors say he admits routing it to a reporter through Kane’s political consultant.
Kane is charged with perjury and obstruction for allegedly publicizing grand jury files about an investigation of a civil rights leader.
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