by Channel 2 News staff
Saturday, September 27, 2008
WASHINGTON -- Former VECO CEO Bill Allen won't take the stand in Sen. Ted Stevens' trial in Washington until Tuesday at the earliest.
Prosecutors say they have a conversation between Allen and Stevens from 2006 in which Stevens says, "Worst-case scenario we pay a lot of money in legal bills and do little jail time."
Stevens' trial began last week with jury selection, opening statements and two days of testimony. Former VECO employees took the stand to explain their involvement in what prosecutors are calling an extravagant remodel of Stevens' home in Girdwood.
So far six laborers, some from VECO who made an hourly wage while working on the home, have testified.
A VECO accountant said that labor and material costs amounted to $180,000, all of which was put on VECO's tab.
"The government has been putting on VECO employees just to establish that they did work on the senator's house, and to establish the value of that work," former federal prosecutor James Flood said. "Essential bricks in the government's overall criminal prosecution of the senator."
