By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-861384.mp3
Dallas, TX –
The corruption trial of a former Dallas City Councilman and four associates will end sooner than planned. KERA's BJ Austin says closing statements are scheduled for Monday instead of next month.
Defense attorneys rested their case one day after key defendant, former councilman Don Hill ended six days on the witness stand - and much sooner than initially indicated. None of Hill's four co-defendants testified. Former U.S. Attorney John Ratcliffe, following the trial, says that's not surprising. He says it's risky to testify and submit to cross examination. He says the government is required, by law, to prove the case with or without a defendant's testimony.
Ratcliffe: They can put on all sorts of evidence, but none if it is directly from the defendant. And if you take the stand in your own defense, you give up that advantage. The vast, vast majority of criminal defendants don't testify on their own behalf.
Ratcliffe says the outcome of this trial for ALL defendants depends in large part on Hill's credibility from the stand. Testimony began in June.