Defendant in Palin e-mail hacking case deciding if he should testify as trial starts 2nd week
By APMonday, April 26, 2010
Defendant in Palin e-mail hacking case may testify
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A former University of Tennessee student charged with hacking Sarah Palin’s e-mail must decide if his testimony will help his defense as the federal trial moves into its second week in Knoxville.
Prosecutors say David Kernell was trying to derail Palin’s campaign when he accessed her personal e-mail account while she was the Republican candidate for vice president in 2008.
Kernell’s attorney, Wade Davies, said after the government rested its case Friday there is a possibility his client will testify.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Phillips told Kernell that the decision whether to testify in the case is his alone.
Kernell faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted of identity theft and three other felony charges.
