Shelnutt Trial Update: Defense Rests

Update: The defense rested its case after calling eleven witnesses. Mark Shelnutt was not among the witnesses called. The prosecution is now getting ready to call rebuttal witnesses.

The prosecution in the federal trial of attorney Mark Shelnutt has dropped three of the forty counts against him. That move happened before testimony began this morning. The three charges dropped were: one for not reporting a transaction, one for witness tampering, and one for lying to the FBI. Thirty six charges remain against Shelnutt, a prominent attorney in Columbus.

The defense is presenting its case starting today. The first witness on the stand is Chris Shelnutt, the ex-wife of Mark Shelnutt. The couple’s divorce was filed in May of this year, on the same day Shelnutt was indicted. Chris Shelnutt testified this morning that her ex-husband frequently kept sums of cash in their home because his family has traditionally not trusted putting it in the bank. Chris Shelnutt also testified that she and her ex-husband kept separate bank accounts and she deposited large sums of cash into her account to pay bills after she quit working outside the home. The testimony also included the Shelnutt’s charitable contributions to their church, St. Luke’s UMC in Columbus, which totaled more than $44,000 between 2005 and 2007.

The charges against Shelnutt stem from his relationships with former clients, including Torrance Hill. Hill is a convicted drug dealer and was apprehended during the largest drug bust in the area’s history.

Testimony continues today. Be sure to check back online for updates and tune in to News 3 Evening Edition at 6/5 p.m. for the latest deelopments in the case.