CHARLESTON —The state Supreme Court’s top financial officer testified for several hours at the federal trial of Justice Allen Loughry about how the court keeps track of mileage and gas purchases.
Federal prosecutors are trying to prove not only that Loughry used a state vehicle for his personal travel but that he received reimbursement from out-of-state conferences while actually traveling in a state vehicle and using a state purchasing card for the gas.
Loughry’s attorney, John Carr, tried during cross examination to question whether what might seem like basic records of gasoline purchases might be subject to human error or inconsistencies.
Carr asked about odometer readings that might jump up or down, about whether purchasing cards might be moved from state vehicle to state vehicle without an immediate note in the record keeping, and about how any one would know exactly who made a gasoline purchase.
“There’s no way to tell exactly who swiped the card?” Carr asked.
“That’s correct,” responded. Sue Racer-Troy, the court’s financial officer.
A couple of hours of Racer-Troy’s morning testimony was dedicated to reading off, line-by-line, records of where gasoline was purchased, the amount paid and the date and time.
As testimony resumed today after a mid-morning break, U.S. District Judge John Copenhaver jokingly commented on the tedium: “I was really encouraged that you reached page 270.”
Federal prosecutors were up front with the jury during opening statements that some of the evidence they intend to present is dry.
But the prosecutors said the puzzle pieces will fit together over the course of the trial.
Loughry faces 22 federal charges.
Counts 1, 2 and 3 are false and fraudulent mileage claims. Counts 4 through 18 are counts of wire fraud over personal use of Supreme Court vehicles and government fuel cards. Yet another count alleges a false statement about using a Supreme Court vehicle.
Among the first witnesses on Wednesday, the first day of testimony, were employees of American University’s law school and the Pound Civil Justice Institute who testified about working with Loughry to be sure he was reimbursed for his travel to events.
Another Supreme Court justice, Menis Ketchum, has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of using a state purchasing card while traveling in a state vehicle to a golf outing in Virginia. Initially, Ketchum was accused of repeating that over and over.
