VictoryLand Trial Continues Into Day Two

by WAKA Action 8 News

The trial that could decide the future of VictoryLand casino continued today in a Montgomery courtroom.

We heard more testimony from agents who were at the raid of the casino and went undercover into the operation.

The day was mostly spent going into what exactly agents saw at the casino, both before and after the raid from the attorney general’s office. 

But Joe Espy, attorney for VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor, says there are details from that raid that call the whole case into question. 

“You just saw where the search warrant they executed we say requires them to do a forensic analysis of the machines. Had they done a forensic analysis of the machines, it would have shown that they were legal bingo machines,” said Espy. 

He says it wasn’t just the Attorney General who knew that an analysis needed to be performed, but just about everyone who was at the raid in 2013, where over 1,000 machines and over $200,000 in cash were seized. 

“That particular warrant was read to the entire group that raided VictoryLand. So everybody going in knew you had to do a forensic examination and they failed to do so. I think it’s a major failure of proof today,” said Espy. 

The state said Tuesday that they would not bring an expert to the stand. During court, they tried to present one of the attorney general’s agents as an expert in forensics. The judge would not allow it. 

Attorneys for the state still can’t speak to us, but Espy says it was a big blow to their case. 

“I think it’s pretty damaging so far when they announced no experts and then if you look at their own documents and you see they were required to have an analysis and they have not made one. So it looks like to us they’re in deep trouble,” said Espy. 

Espy hoped to get to his witnesses, but he’ll have to wait until Thursday.