Bayou la Batre mayor's federal corruption trial continues

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Testimony continued on Tuesday in the federal corruption trial of Bayou La Batre Mayor Stan Wright. 

A federal jury listened to a recording of a November 2007 Bayou La Batre city council meeting. On the recording, Wright tells the council the government deal requires road improvements in the federally-subsidized subdivision under a $15 million F Emergency Management Association grant.

Prosecutors are trying to show that Wright profited from a land deal involving FEMA money.

Related: Corruption trial begins for Bayou mayor

The jurors also heard Wright announce the property needed for the improvement was owned by his daughter in the tape.

Wright states, "I want the whole world to know, my daughter owes that property." 

Wright went on to say, "I used to own it, but I deeded it over to her."

The mayor also abstained from the vote on the sale of the land to the city.

City Clerk Donna Gainey told the court she didn't even know the land deal would be on the agenda until that day.

Another surprise came from the next witness. FEMA Grant Manager Dana Bourne testified that Wright, as the authorized representative for the city on the grant, could not pick and choose which parts of the package he would vote on.

Bourne testified that if FEMA had been aware that federal funds were being used to buy land from the mayor or his daughter, the government would have looked for another site for the project.

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Defense Lawyer Arthur Madden played a different portion of the same recording which included the city attorney giving Wright and the council advice on the land deal throughout the meeting.

When asked by FOX10 News about the point he was trying to make during his cross examination, Madden kept his strategy secret.

"I think it's inappropriate to make a comment during the trial," he said.

The Bayou La Batre City council approved the purchase of the half-acre property during the November 16, 2007 meeting.

The prosecution called an appraiser to the stand who testified the land was really only worth about $5,500.