KANSAS CITY, KAN. ? U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson placed an attorney representing a former Westar Energy Inc. executive on warning Monday, saying she was close to citing the lawyer last week for being in contempt of court.

Robinson, the judge presiding over the federal fraud trial of former Westar executives David Wittig and Douglas T. Lake, said she didn’t want to see any more contemptuous behavior from Ed Little, an attorney for Lake. The admonishment, made before the jury entered the room, was in response to an accusation Little made Friday that Assistant U.S. Atty. Richard Hathaway threatened him inside and outside of court.