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First Day In Trial Of Kathleen Kane Comes To A Close

by Jim Melwert

NORRISTOWN, PA (CBS) -- Testimony is underway in the trial of Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, who is accused of leaking secret grand jury information then lying under oath to cover it up.

Opening statements saw prosecutor Michelle Henry draw out the timeline.

Bad publicity, she says, from a newspaper story led Kathleen Kane to seek revenge against the man she believed was responsible for that story, former AG's office prosecutor Frank Fina.

She also highlighted what she called the five biggest lies from Kane while under oath in an effort to cover up the leaks.

But Kane's attorney, Gerald Shargel, says the alleged feud between Fina and his client is manufactured by prosecutors, his client never leaked anything illegally, and any misstatements under oath were honest mistakes, and not criminal.

The day ended with Kane's former 1st assistant Bruce Beemer on the stand.

He says he was shocked when he saw the newspaper story, which prosecutors say is based on the alleged leaks by Kane.

He says he immediately recognized the information as coming for the AG's office, and, in his opinion, it was protected by grand jury secrecy laws.

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