Pg. 479 Smith “We’re now looking at the PHCA Key Bank draft spreadsheet. So my question, for example, you have a total of $38,248.85 questionable. Is this purely something you can’t physically verify?” Clifton “Or actually it’s something I can’t technically verify.” Smith “Okay. Not necessarily in titling that question, it doesn’t mean it’s inappropriate?” Clifton “Correct, it’s not a utility, it’s not a cash withdrawal.” Smith “Again, you don’t know what the cash involved was for, whether it was cash simply taken out, appropriate or not. So only cash was taken out?” Clifton “Correct.”
Jason was charged with stealing for ALL transactions that she did not know how to categorize; also, what they TOLD her not to verify. How does a jury not have at least a reasonable doubt? We will show you later as the Wood County prosecutor Chris Anderson just starts lying about everyone’s testimony.
Speaking of her interviews with Jason, Smith “Okay, was he forthcoming? Was he being very cagey with you? What was the conversation like?” Clifton “He seemed to be forthcoming. “ More kind testimony by Ms. Clifton.
Recross by Prosecutor Beard “Do you recall whether or not investigator Kinder gave you any additional information after he had began his investigation?” Clifton “As far as documentation?” Beard “Or records or things of that sort, yes.” Clifton “No.” 2013-2020 and they never compared the evidence or attempted to verify anything. Corruption?
Recross by Defense Attorney Smith “Just to be clear you did or did not review any personal accounts?” Clifton “Yes, Kristie Koester.” Smith “How did you acquire those records?” Clifton “I requested them from Genoa Bank.” Smith “So you specifically requested records of an individual or someone’s personal account?” Clifton “Yes.” Smith “Of someone who is not the target of the investigation?” Clifton “Yes.” Smith “Okay.” Here we go again. Corrupt that Kristie was all of a sudden being investigated but no one else? Yep, for sure.
End of Day 2.
Jason feels conflicted. Six witnesses and so far the word theft or stolen has never been said. Ashley Clifton through all of her testimony was honest and ethical. Remember, she stated several times that she could not categorize transactions and they ordered her not to verify them, but they all could have been appropriate. A lot was also that she did not feel it furthered the mission. These were actual legitimate expenses, but since it was on her spreadsheet, Wood County charged Jason with stealing them.
Jason also could not judge Channa Beard. She did not seem to try to lie. She went with the information the investigator Kinder gave her which was the source of the lies. You will see when she interviews Jason she seems to try and push him to react but he doesn’t bite. He feels as if she was duped just like the jury. In an interesting side note, even after Jason was found guilty, he and his daughters felt bad for Ms. Beard. Tom Matuszak seemed to be touching her in a way the Craig family felt was inappropriate. She left the office soon after Jason’s conviction and Tom left also in a dramatic fashion. He was the head of the criminal prosecution office in Wood County and the NPR story sounds like exactly what happened in Jason’s case.