PROVIDENCE - The defense rested Tuesday in the trial of North Providence Police Chief John J. Whiting, a North Attleboro resident who is charged with stealing $714 from a stripper after a car chase in Pawtucket last summer.
Providence County Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Procaccini scheduled closing arguments for Tuesday morning, and said he expects to issue a verdict shortly afterward.
The five-day non-jury trial began on June 18 with the prosecution calling 10 witnesses, including Pawtucket Police Chief Paul King and Pawtucket police officer John Brown and state police, who investigated the case.
Col. Whiting, 58, who has been suspended, has denied he stole the money and testified Monday he turned it over to Brown as evidence after an SUV he was chasing crashed during Tropical Storm Irene. The occupants fled on foot after the accident; Whiting was reportedly pursuing the vehicle after someone inside threw something at his SUV.
Brown testified last week Whiting confessed to stealing the money. Brown said Whiting gave him the money with instructions to spend it in Las Vegas and not say anything about it.
Whiting testified he told Brown to take the money as seized evidence and was being sarcastic when he told him to "go to Vegas."
