A former Kentucky lawmaker goes on trial in federal court in Pikeville this week.
Jury selection got underway Monday in the trial of Keith Hall of Pike County. The former democratic state representative is charged with paying bribes to an inspector to ignore violations at coal mines owned by Hall.
Hall's co-defendant, former state mine inspector Kelly Shortridge, pleaded guilty in earlier this year to taking bribes from Hall. The plea agreement said Shortridge, who worked for the Division of Mine Reclamation and Enforcement, took about $46,000 in bribes over two years from Hall.
Hall represented Pike County for 14 years before losing his 2014 re-election bid.