Alaska Politics Blog : Kohring's reaction, part two: 'I'm very excited about the future'

Kohring's reaction, part two: 'I'm very excited about the future'

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Anchorage Daily News

Posted: November 1, 2007 - 4:11 pm

Vic Kohring on the steps of the Anchorage federal courthouse after being convicted.From Kyle Hopkins at the federal courthouse --

More on what Kohring had to say after today's split verdict:

What did Kohring think convinced the jury he was guilty on three of the four counts?

“I don’t really know,” Kohring said. He said he’d have to give it some thought, and didn’t have an answer for that.

Fred James, Kohring’s friend, said he had an answer.

“It’s the pre-trial publicity for 12 to 14 months. The Daily News has been savaging this man,” James said.

“Everything, if he blinks, his picture is on the front page. And then the word ‘corruption.’ … ‘raid’ on his office, which you weren’t allowed to say (James says to Browne), and they just hammered and hammered and hammered away. So they tried and convicted him in the papers and Channel 2 news.”

I asked Kohring if he agreed.

“I think in part, yes,” he said.

Browne talked to a reporter about his attempt to move the trial out of Alaska.

“I think the more and more of these trials in Anchorage, the more and more difficult it’s going to be to get a fair trial.”

Asked if he made the right decision, not to go for a plea deal, Kohring said:

"I think we made the right decision. As I had said earlier, all along it was a gamble. It was a risk. But it was a risk I was willing to take … I believed in my position, so I don’t regret it."

Browne: “There were really no, no reasonable offers anyway.”

I asked if Kohring has been talking to his wife throughout the trial. He said she’s been expressing her support, and is naturally concerned.

This conversation took place just outside the courtroom. Next, Browne and Kohring walked down stairs, out of the federal building, and talked in front of a half circle of TV cameras and microphones.

He again thanked the jury, which he said was well-meaning.

“It’s a result that I’m going to just have to live with. That is life, and as I said yesterday and the day before and the day before that, it’s not the end of my life and I’m very excited about the future, I’ve got a lot of good opportunities awaiting me.”

Asked what he meant by that, he said: Working, being a good husband, raising his stepdaughter, pursuing educational goals.

What kind of job of did he plan to do?

“I’m mulling several different possibilities…” Kohring said.

Like what?

Browne said they weren’t going to spend time talking about that.

Asked if he’ll stay in Alaska, he said:

“This is my home, I’ve lived here all my life. I don’t see any reason to leave. But lets see what the future holds.”

Asked if he still maintains his innocence, Kohring said:

“I’d rather not go there at this point."

A moment later, he added: “We have an outcome here that is difficult for me, of course. But I’ve got a great future ahead of me and I’m looking forward to that future.”

Browne talked more about sentencing and about the case, and the possibility of appeals – saying appeals could be generated by the closed-door hearings held in the trial.

He said the "not guilty" verdict on count two could shave years off Kohring's sentence.

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Kohring's reaction, part two: 'I'm very excited about the future'

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