The federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, her former romantic partner, Andre Jones, and local businessmen, Andy and David Duong, resumes this week. Natalie Orenstein, a reporter with The Oaklandside, has been reporting on the proceedings. She gave this update to KALW on the latest.
“It was Mario Juarez week,” said Orenstein. “He’s the government’s key witness, key informant, pretty much the most highly-anticipated piece of this trial, and he finally took the stand last week."
Orenstein added, “Under direct examination, he explained, in detail, the alleged, elaborate, bribery scheme that he said he participated in with former Mayor Sheng Thao, her partner, Andre Jones, and Andy and David Duong, the city’s recycling contractors. I would say the most dramatic part of that testimony was when he described his allegations that the Duongs and their associates violently attacked him.”
“Then it was time for cross-examination and Ed Swanson, who’s David Duong’s lawyer, didn’t waste any time in asking Juarez about his extensive legal history,” said Orenstein, “which includes many accusations of fraud, basically, this guy is untrustworthy, you can’t believe anything he says, let alone about my clients.”
