Workman trial may see new questions

After a long weekend's respite, the trial of former Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman resumes today.

Workman attorneys Monday released a list of seven witnesses they intend to call, including Workman's deputy mayor Alan Dayton (who became acting mayor after charges were filed against Workman last fall), former county councilman Russell Skousen and former county commissioner Brent Overson.

A gag order prevents attorneys from talking publicly about the case, so it is unknown exactly what those three will testify to.

One possibility is the motivation behind the prosecution. Dayton and, to a lesser extent, Skousen were involved in an alleged altercation in which District Attorney David Yocom said he would "get" Workman simply by initiating an investigation against her.

Overson has said he heard Yocom make similar threats.

The three might also testify regarding the Supreme Court case deciding a dispute between the commission and then-county attorney Doug Short, a case that established the rules by which governments could contribute to charities.

The Short case is at the heart of the prosecution's case against Workman, which involves two employees who ostensibly did community outreach at the Salt Lake Valley Health Department but in reality did accounting under Workman's daughter at the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Valley.

Overson was one of the commissioners in the Short case, Dayton was employed at the county at the time, and Skousen was an attorney representing Short.

Other defense witnesses will include former Workman communications director Ted Phillips, former county director of economic development John Rosenthal, director of planning and development services Jeff Daugherty and health department payroll clerk Irene Cordova.

Defense attorney Greg Skordas has not said whether Workman herself will testify. Another potential witness is Alina Iorga, one of the employees in question. Iorga is now living in Washington state (beyond Utah courts' subpoena power) and has reportedly been hesitant to involve herself in the case.

Special prosecutor Mike Martinez put six witnesses on the stand last week, the most damaging being former chief administrative officer David Marshall, who said Workman misled him with regard to what the two employees would be doing.

Martinez said last week that he anticipates winding up his case by midday today, at which point the defense will take over. The case will go to the jury sometime over the next few days, perhaps as early as Wednesday.

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E-mail: aedwards@desnews.com