The charges against Steve O'Daniel had plenty of Pence vs. Fletcher political undertones and allegations of underhanded dealings. O'Daniel was charged with forgery for allegedly falsifying papers to get title to an old Corvette he purchased. O'Daniel discovered the car had been stolen and state police concluded that the insurance company should get the car back. That's when O'Daniel filed papers through his hometown, Jessamine County clerk to have the car titled in his name, a judge eventually granting him the car in a civil case involving O'Daniel and the insurer. But state police pursued criminal charges, eventually getting a special prosecutor and a grand jury to pursue charges. This week, a Franklin County jury heard the case and found O'Daniel not guilty on the felony forgery charge.

But the real story for the political watchers is the behind-the-scenes stuff. The governor's chief of staff, Stan Cave, testified that he was made aware of state police allegations that O'Daniel's boss, Pence, was trying to deep six the criminal investigation and take it away from state police. Pence testified that was basically true, that his staff concluded it was a civil matter between O'Daniel and the insurer of the car and that no criminal probe was warranted. Pence's deputy, Cleve Gambill sent a letter to state police to that effect. In the end, the appearance was that the governor's office was on the side of the state police detectives, Justice Secretary and Lt. Gov. Pence was trying to help out his employee, O'Daniel.

Initially, Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Larry Cleveland looked at the case and refused to take it to a grand jury. He testified to that effect at O'Daniel's trial, probably killing the prosecution's case against O'Daniel. O'Daniel's attorney, Tom Clay of Louisville, says he plans to sue the state police detectives involved in the investigation of O'Daniel. O'Daniel initially claimed that the investigation was a witchhunt began by some former enemies in the state police.