Documents detailing the evidence and witnesses that prosecutors plan to use during the criminal insider trading trial of former Qwest chief executive officer Joe Nacchio will not be filed for public viewing, a federal judge said today.
Such lists should only be “exchanged between the parties,” U.S. District Judge Edward Nottingham said during a hearing.
At Nottingham’s request, the government submitted its evidence list last week and its witness list today. The defense is required to produce its evidence list on March 15 and its witness list March 16.
After reviewing a list of the government’s evidence and witnesses, Nottingham said prosecutors could probably try the case in “eight days or less.”
Federal prosecutor Colleen Conry estimated that the government would take 12 to 15 days.
Nottingham also denied a request by Nacchio’s attorney Herbert Stern to submit written questionnaires to potential jurors. Nottingham said a written questionnaire would be too time-consuming for his staff and could be overkill.
“Many of the questions – most of the questions – will be posed to the jury by the court in open court,” Nottingham said.
Staff writer Andy Vuong can be reached at 303-954-1209 or avuong@denverpost.com.
