Former Arkansas Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson’s ex-girlfriend testified Tuesday at a pre-trial hearing in his federal wire fraud and tax fraud case that the Sony laptop computer she turned over to the FBI in 2012 was hers alone and that she never stole it, as Hutchinson claims.
The laptop contained incriminating information against Hutchinson, who is scheduled for a jury trial in July. He is seeking the dismissal of the charges or suppression of the information obtained from the laptop, contending the girlfriend of five or six years, Julie McGee, stole it from his condominium and saying the FBI never sought permission from him to search it.
McGee testified that she gave permission to search the laptop and other devices she turned over to the FBI on Aug 24, 2012, to spite Hutchinson.
During her testimony, she said Hutchinson gave her money for “the abortion," but she was never asked by attorneys for either side to elaborate. Afterward, defense attorney Tim Dudley refused to comment on the remark.
McGee, an artist, lived with Hutchinson for several months and had an on-again, off-again relationship with him, she testified.
Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.