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Fraud trial for secretary of state in jury’s hands

– A jury that heard days of testimony against embattled Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White began deliberating voter fraud, theft and other charges Friday that could oust White from office.

The Hamilton County jury had not reached a verdict by 11 p.m.

In closing arguments, White’s defense attorney told jurors there was no evidence that White had committed voter fraud.

Prosecutors have accused White of using his ex-wife’s address instead of the address of a condo he had with his fiancée when he registered to vote in the May 2010 Republican primary. They allege White didn’t want to give up his $1,000-per-month Fishers Town Council salary after moving from that district.

White, a Republican who took office in January 2011, was indicted in March 2011 by a Hamilton County grand jury on seven felony counts including theft, perjury and fraud. If White is convicted of a single count, he faces removal from office and possible prison time.

During his closing arguments, special prosecutor Dan Sigler Jr. argued that White knew that he was committing voter fraud but did it anyway for political power.

“If we aren’t going to enforce election law against the secretary of state of Indiana, who are we going to enforce it against?” Sigler said.

White’s attorney, Carl Brizzi, rested Thursday without presenting a defense. Brizzi told the jury during his closing arguments Friday that White’s name was on the condo’s bills and documents because he was paying for his fiancée and her children to live there, not because he was living at that address.

“Their case is based entirely on assumption, innuendo and leaps,” Brizzi told jurors. He challenged the voter fraud allegation, arguing there is no evidence to support it.

He also called the charges “a textbook political prosecution.”

White still could lose his office pending the outcome of an appeal in a civil challenge filed by Democrats.

White has repeatedly ignored calls for his resignation from Democrats and Republicans, including Gov. Mitch Daniels.