Don Hill's Back on the Stand. For the Last Day? We Sure Hope Not! A Live Blog, Of Course.

So, the third-string team is in to cover what will probably be Don Hill's last day of testimony. Appropriate, then, that the morning's starting off with technical difficulties with Hill's mic and computer monitor. Buzz!Hill's being questioned about $18,000 and $12,000 payments from Brian Potashinik's Arbor Wood development to his...

By Patrick Williams

September 17, 2009

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So, the third-string team is in to cover what will probably be Don Hill's last day of testimony. Appropriate, then, that the morning's starting off with technical difficulties with Hill's mic and computer monitor. Buzz!

Hill's being questioned about $18,000 and $12,000 payments from Brian Potashinik's Arbor Wood development to his former mistress-now-wife Sheila Farrington Hill's bank account. Sheila's lawyer Victor Vital wants to know if she made use of any of the money. The upshot from Hill: No, that was D'Angelo Lee's money.

Sheila was NOT walking around with "18 big ones" in her purse. Didn't spend it. Nope, just holding for a friend.

More futzing around with microphones.

Blah, blah, blah. Vital is basically say that any money Sheila got from anything was either for legitimate political consulting with Southwest Housing or for D'Angelo. Of course, she has a little trouble documenting that work, but Don says he watched her work on the contract. "She believed this was a real legitimate opportunity for her. ... It was not a sham bribery contract. It was NOT," Hill insists.

It was just bad record-keeping. Oopsie. Long sidebar. Lots of objections that Hill is being asked to speculate about his wife was thinking.

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Patrick Williams is editor-in-chief of the Dallas Observer. Before joining the staff in July 1997, Patrick worked for the Southern Illinoisan, Amarillo Globe News and San Antonio Express-News. As editor-in-chief, he oversees the newsroom and guides the coverage of both the Dallas Observer’s printed publication and online website.

Contact: Patrick Williams