KANSAS CITY, KAN. — Jurors in the federal fraud trial of two former Westar Energy Inc. executives completed their second full day of deliberations Friday without reaching a verdict.
The panel of 10 women and two men plan to take Monday off and will resume their deliberations Tuesday. Arguments in the 10-week trial ended Wednesday.
David Wittig, former chief executive officer for the Topeka-based utility, and Douglas Lake, the company's former chief strategy officer and Wittig's chief lieutenant, face 40 counts each of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and circumventing internal controls.
Both men deny the charges, saying their actions were legal, approved by Westar's board of directors and disclosed in corporate filings.
This is their second trial. Their first ended in mistrial in December after jurors were unable to reach a consensus on more than half the charges.
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