Politics
Sheng Thao Corruption Trial: Defense Pushes to Undermine Star Witness as Case Stretches Toward December
Defense attorneys for former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao spent Thursday hammering the credibility of key witness Mario Juarez, questioning his account of an assault, a gun, and a $300,000 payoff in a conspiracy that has already led Juarez to plead guilty. The combative cross-examination is expected to push the trial past Thanksgiving into December.
OAKLAND â The federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao resumed Thursday with defense attorneys intensifying their effort to dismantle the credibility of the government's star witness, a man who has already admitted to conspiring with Thao and is now testifying in hopes of a lighter sentence.
The witness, businessman Mario Juarez, faced another day of combative questioning focused on an alleged assault, a gun, and disputes over what Thao knew about a scheme that prosecutors say traded cash and campaign support for political favors and city contracts. Juarez has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and is cooperating with the government.
Defense attorneys sought to portray Juarez as the aggressor in a falling-out with the Duong family, two Oakland businessmen â Andy Duong and David Duong â also named in the alleged conspiracy. Juarez had previously claimed that after his dealings with the group went sour, ten associates of the Duongs beat him unconscious and stole his watch and his father's gold chain. On Thursday, the defense challenged that account, even though evidence showed the items were recovered from Andy Duong's home.
The defense further alleged that Juarez showed up at a Duong family business with a gun. Juarez denied carrying the weapon, though he admitted it was in his car. "If I had a gun that day, I would have probably used it," he said.
At one point, Juarez pushed back against the defense's characterization, saying, "I see myself beaten up and confused, caused by your clients." He later pointed at Duong and shouted, "He stole it."
The cross-examination also turned to the alleged payoff at the center of the case. Thao's attorney grilled Juarez over accusations that the former mayor was to receive $300,000 as part of the conspiracy, asking why Juarez never sent Thao any written agreement. The defense called the payment idea "wishful thinking." Juarez reiterated his earlier testimony that Thao herself asked for the money.
Legal analyst Steven Clark said both sides must walk a fine line as they repeatedly question Juarez. "Each attorney needs to make their own record for their own client, but at the same time they don't want to appear to be nitpicky or going over old ground because you could lose a jury and in this case the judge," Clark said.
Clark added that Juarez's demeanor on the stand could cut both ways. "Body language and the way a witness comes across is very important to a jury and if they believe that Juarez is being unnecessarily combative, and perhaps trying to hide something or being overly defensive, that could reflect badly on the prosecution's case," he said.
The trial, which had been expected to wrap up by Thanksgiving, is now projected to stretch into December as the defense continues its deep dive into Juarez's credibility. Cross-examination is set to continue Friday.
The case has already drawn attention to the relationships between Oakland's political leadership and local business figures. Thao, her longtime partner Andre Jones, and the Duongs are accused of participating in a conspiracy that traded cash and campaign support for political favors and city contracts. Juarez's testimony is central to the government's case, and the defense's aggressive questioning signals that the battle over his believability will be a decisive factor in the outcome.