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March 28, 2008

Kluth jury wants jury commissioner's testimony read back

PROVIDENCE -- The jury deliberating the case against accused lobster truck con man John Kluth Jr. asked to have testimony read back to them today.

The jury, in its second day of deliberating, came out at about 12:10 p.m to have read to them testimony from Rhode Island state jury commissioner Eugene McMahon, one of the 31 complainants who the state alleges Kluth attempted to get money from by telling them he needed money to fix a broken-down truck.

McMahon testified to giving Kluth $100. When he and Kluth had talked, McMahon initially spurned Kluth, who purported to be a neighbor of McMahon's, according to testimony. McMahon changed his mind and gave him the money.

McMahon testified he was not paid back but did not report it because he was embarrassed and wanted to keep it to himself. Then he saw a newspaper article and decided to come forward to the police. He gave a statement to the police on Sept. 6 last year.

Kluth, 48, did not take the stand during his two-week trial in Providence County Superior Court, but the prosecution called 31 witnesses who said they had been duped by Kluth into giving him money -- between $25 and $5,200.

Extra: Hear Kluth tell Journal staff writer Gregory Smith what he did.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 1:01 PM | Permalink

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