Defense attorney concludes cross-examination of witness in former Custer County sheriff, Michael Burgess, sex-scandal trial

By Ron Jackson - Staff Writer

Published: January 8, 2009

FAIRVIEW -- Defense attorney Steve Huddleston wrapped up his cross-examination of prosecution witness Brenda Brown about 2:40 p.m. today , questioning her aggressively and at times flippantly.

Brenda Brown.

He began his questioning by saying to Brown, "Now let's get one thing straight. The only evidence you have against Michael Burgess on June 3, 2007 is your word?"

"Yes sir," Brown replied.

"You have no other witnesses," Huddleston asked her. She said she did not.

Brown later said in response to a similar question, "If there was any evidence, do you really think he would have done what he had done?"

Brown is the second woman to take the stand in the trial of Burgess, former Custer County sheriff, who faces 36 felony charges that he sexually harassed or sexually abused female inmates and drug court participants in his charge. Brown was on the witness stand for nearly seven hours between Wednesday and today.

The judge repeatedly sustained objections by prosecutors to Huddleston's line of questioning during the first two hours of cross-examination this morning. Huddleston was scolded by the judge for such things as reading from reports that have not been admitted as evidence and asking argumentative questions.

At one point, after Huddleston had interrupted Brown several times when she tried to answer his questions, the court reporter complained by saying, "I can't record two conversations at the same time."

In response to one series of questions from Huddleston, Brown replied, "I don't know what you are trying to get me to say, but I know what happened to me. This is why things never get reported."