Petro America - Kansas Corporation

[scion]

Petro America trial nears end of 3rd week, judge admonishes lead defendant for delays

By BILL DRAPER Associated Press
May 09, 2013 - 6:49 pm EDT
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/591576cad0174622847fc4ef9222924e/MO--Petro-America-Trial

[...]
Hawkins, 57, of Kansas City, Kansas, has no formal legal training but has been defending himself throughout the trial. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes scolded Hawkins for filing a list of 32 new witnesses earlier this week and taking other actions that have bogged down the trial.

"You've done things that delay or hold up this court," Wimes said before jurors were brought into the courtroom. "I don't need to know, and the jury doesn't need to know, what high school (witnesses) went to.

"I'm not going to revisit this," the judge said. "I've talked to you the last two weeks about this. We're moving forward."

Despite Wimes' warning, progress was slow Thursday morning as prosecutors and defense attorneys voiced at least 20 objections to Hawkins' questions in the first hour. Wimes sustained most of them.

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http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/591576cad0174622847fc4ef9222924e/MO--Petro-America-Trial