DEFAM, Esparza cross examined [Esparza]

I attended the trial of Paul Esparza v. Eugene Moore, Askia Abdullah and David Sharp. What can I say?

For background see Maywood Herald (Kevin Beese).

The suit alleges Moore, Sharp and Abdullah distributed literature that said Esparza was a felon and committed home repair fraud. The defense denies responsibility for the flyer.

I arrived and the trial went on break. I introduced myself to Paul Esparza. One of his daughters got all pissy with me about Proviso Probe. Esparza called me sleazy.

Moore's attorney, whom I believe is paid for by the insurance company, grilled Esparza about Christina Nowakowski. Esparza gave answers that were plainly incomplete if not outright dishonest.

When asked about Nowakowski's duties at the Recorder of Deeds office, he said stuff like, "I have no idea what she did."

Esparza said Nowakowski left because, "She blamed herself for everything that happened [including losing the Maywood house to foreclosure and losing her job]."

Esparza said, "I wouldn't waste five cents on Gene Moore."

Esparza acknowledged knowing Moore for over 30 years. I thought he was vague and evasive about their past political exploits.

Moore's attorney kept asking if Esparza knew of Moore doing an attack flyer like the one attacking Esparza. Esparza had a hard time saying "yes" because he said he and Nowakowski produced all Moore's stuff for a couple years. Esparza wouldn't get much sympathy from the jury if he admitted to doing the same thing.

But Esparza did claim that on the West Side Moore had done something similar that didn't involve Esparza.

The defense attorneys also challenged Esparza to explain how he was harmed. "My votes dropped quite a bit." (The results in the election were Moore 47%, Yarbrough 41% and Esparza 12%.)

Esparza said there was only one person he could name to corroborate that the flyer harmed him. Esparza explained the jury wouldn't hear from this person because, "Jimmy's too old."

Much of Esparza's grievance is based on, "I've never been found guilty of that."

The flyer portrays Esparza as a felon, but Esparza was never convicted.

There's also a gun charge in the flyer. Esparza says it's a different Paul Esparza. "It might say 'Paul Esparza' but it's not me.... I've never charged with a gun charge."

The flyer is pretty sleazy in that it mentions rape, pedophilia, fraud, elder abuse and moral terpitude as examples of things elected officials shouldn't have done. The flyer makes an effort to plant a seed against Esparza.

The last bit of questioning was about the charges Esparza committed fraud against Louis Bellamy. Esparza acknowledged that the charges were dropped when Bellamy was paid. Esparza claimed, "Moore gave me the money to pay off the attorney." I became a little confused about want attorney got paid and for what. Esparza acknowledged committing the underlying offense, but feels that he was wronged by the flyer saying he was found criminally culpable.