Ex-lawyer says he slipped cash to Hogan twice

A onetime member of a bribe-paying lawyers' club testifiedThursday that he twice slipped cash into former Judge Martin Hogan'sdesk drawer for goodwill.

"I basically paid him to build a relationship," Lee Barnett tolda jury and U.S. District Judge James F. Holderman. Barnett said onone occasion in September, 1981, that Hogan looked up from his deskand suggested the money "isn't necessary."

A few months later, however, Barnett said he returned and putsome more money in the drawer. He said the judge just glanced in thedrawer, looked up and nodded.

At the time, Hogan, 48, was assigned to Branch 64 Auto TheftCourt, 1121 S. State, and Barnett was a criminal defense attorney.

Now Barnett is a convicted felon in the Operation Greylordproject and is testifying against Hogan.

Barnett said the payoffs were in accordance with a deal withbagman James LeFevour to pay presiding judges in certain courtroomsfor getting clients. The pact, approved by presiding Judge RichardLeFevour, was worked out among James LeFevour and five lawyers,including Barnett.

Barnett said he was enlisted in the club by his good friend andonetime roommate, Neal Birnbaum.

"Neal told me Hogan was one of Judge LeFevour's boys," Barnettsaid.

In other trial testimony Thursday, FBI mole Terrence Hake saidhe never knew whether James LeFevour actually paid Hogan two bribesfor fixing cases.

Earlier, Hake testified he gave LeFevour a total of $900 tosecure favorable decisions for his clients from Hogan. Hakeacknowledged the facts in the cases would have supported favorablerulings.