Defense attorney spars with witness

A confrontation developed Monday between Kevin Bronson and the defense attorney for former Grace professor Dr. Mark Soto.

Soto faces three counts of corrupt  business influence and three counts of intimidation from a grand jury indictment in February 2016.

Bronson was a witness for the state and was cross-examined for much of the day Monday.

Soto is accused of trying to extort money from people with the hopes of using the money to finance a movie about Bronson’s life.

Bronson claimed that making a movie about his conversion to Christianity   was the only way the Aryan Brotherhood would free him from his obligations to the gang.

Scott Lennox, the defense attorney, asked Bronson to name anyone from the Aryan Brotherhood leadership councils. Bronson initially refused.

“You’re going  to get people hurt because you’re cocky and I’m not going to let you do that,” Bronson said.

“Mr. Bronson, you do your job and I'll do mine. Your job is to sit here and answer the questions,” Lennox said.

Special Judge Stephen Bowers excused the jury to hear arguments from both sides over the matter.  Deputy Prosecutor Tami Napier argued that the question was irrelevant. Lennox argued it addressed Bronson’s credibility.

“The state of Indiana bent over backward to have their star witness here. If he wants to have his stage in front of the county, let him testify,” Lennox said.

Bronson said he had received permission from the Aryan Brotherhood to testify about certain aspects of the gang but if he goes outside those guidelines his life could be in danger.

Bowers ruled that testimony be limited to nicknames for testimony about incidents between  2012 and 2015.

Bronson said Soto met a gang member named “Bowser” who gave him a direct phone number to a leader called “Sky.” Bronson contends Soto also met men known as “Patch” and   “Terrible Tim.”

When Soto took the stand later Monday, he testified he only met “Bowser” in passing, and the other two were not introduced to him as gang members.

Bronson said none of the gang members Soto met were in leadership positions in the gang.

Bronson said Soto was well respected by gang leaders.

Still, Bronson warned Lennox, “Don’t laugh at them. Don’t poke at them,” he said.

Lennox brought up Bronson’s plea agreement with the state. Bronson swung a deal with the state with the aim of avoiding prison time. One of the conditions was for him to testify against Soto.

Lennox referenced phone calls from the  jail that were played Friday in court in which Bronson said Soto was innocent and shouldn’t have to worry about anything.

Bronson said the evidence changed his mind. “Dr. Soto has to bear responsibility for what he did “just as I have to bear responsibility for what I did,” Bronson said.

“At some point Soto and I stopped listening to the Holy Spirt and starting listening to council of the Aryan Brotherhood.”

Bronson testified about the company, Young Dragon Enterprises.  He started the company with Soto and Christ Covenant Church pastor Nate McLaurin in order to fund the proposed movie.

Bronson said McLaurin had total control over the money and he wasn’t allowed to see where the donations were coming from.  Most of the donations came from Tyler Silveus, who testified about donating over $140,000 to help Bronson’s living expenses and for the movie. Silveus would write a check to Soto or Young Dragon Enterprises and he would give the check to McLaurin, who either deposited it or gave it to Soto.

After an incident in which  McLaurin’s life was threatened, Silveus testified Monday he only kept giving money out of fear.

“Bronson made it clear, if things didn’t happen, the Brotherhood would kill our families,”  Silveus said.

The money was put into an account  that only McLaurin and Soto had access  to and then moved to another  account Bronson could access.

McLaurin is the only founding member of the company who was not charged. Lt. Paul Heaton, the investigating officer in the case, attends the church where McLaurin is pastor.

Bronson said McLaurin had also met with members of the Brotherhood’s council. He said it was McLaurin who called him and Soto on Jan 2. 2013, saying he and his family were being threatened.

“It took me and Soto seven hours to talk the Brotherhood out of killing McLaurin,”  Bronson said.

McLaurin and Ohio attorney David Baker testified earlier that they  had a meeting at a church in Van Wert, Ohio, during which Soto and Bronson told them that bikers were circling the area and ready to attack if money wasn’t promised.

Bronson told them he placed a listening device in the center of the room so the Brotherhood could hear the conversation.

Once Baker and McLaurin started expressing doubt, Bronson told them the members of the gang became  angry and Soto and Bronson went into the room to discuss the situation, Bronson said.