Young Trial Testimony: "I’m here for justice more than anything, and justice includes money."

SAN ANGELO, TX — John Sullivan's half-sister admitted she was in it for the money in testimony Thursday at the trial of Sweetwater Attorney John Young.

Sullivan died in early June of 2014 and hadn’t talked to his half sister in 14 years.  Prosecutors with the Texas Attorney General’s office called Louise Chabot to the stand late Thursday in the Tom Green County courthouse after two grueling days of testimony from Texas Ranger Nick Hanna.    

Louise Chabot has lived in Massachusetts all her life and that is where John Sullivan is from.  

John Young is on trial for theft, forgery and money laundering following the 2014 death of John Sullivan.  Bailbondsman Ray Zapata was convicted in May 2017 of forging a will for Sullivan that gave his $6 million estate to Sullivan’s  attorney, John Young.  The handwritten will was probated 14 days after Sullivan’s death.   

Testimony Thursday showed that Chabot is ten years younger than her half-brother.  

Thursday’s late afternoon testimony by the diminutive and feisty Chabot humanized John Sullivan,  who was known by his family as Jackie.  Chabot testified that she and Sullivan briefly lived in the same home before she became a ward of the State of Massachusetts because their parents were alcoholics.  Prosecuting attorneys presented several old photos of John Sullivan and Louise Chabot prior to 2000. They also showed a picture of a Christmas card Sullivan had written to a cousin which showed his handwriting.  His half-sister said that was his handwriting on the card.

Chabot testified that she traveled to San Angelo on many occasions to spend time with her brother Sullivan and prosecutors admitted several photographs of Chabot and Sullivan together in San Angelo into evidence.  

That prompted defense attorney Daniel Hurley from Lubbock to ask Chabot about her relationship with her half-brother.  Chabot admitted that she hadn’t communicated with Sullivan since 2000, when he refused to pay for his mother’s funeral.  

This is where it gets interesting.  

Hurley then asked Chabot about a civil lawsuit against her late half-brother’s estate.  A combative Chabot said they beat her up pretty good in mediation before making an offer.  Hurley asked Chabot if she turned down a settlement offer of $500,000.

Chabot testified that she didn’t remember an amount of money and left mediation saying, “I’ll see you in court.”   

Chabot then said, “I’m here today for justice more than anything, and justice includes money.”

John Young has a retainer for 27 percent of an account that belonged to John Sullivan that was seized by authorities when he was charged with child sex crimes. Th defense estimates the contingency fee to be around $900,000.  If Young is acquitted, he stands to receive $900,000.  That $900,000 will reduce the amount of Sullivan’s estate which his half-sister wants. Sullivan's estate is being managed by a court-appointed administrator currently.

Prior to Chabot’s testimony, Texas Ranger Nick Hanna spent the better part of three days on the witness stand.  Hanna was hammered Thursday by Young's defense attorney Frank Sellers.  

The day began with the court reporter reading back a portion of Hanna’s testimony without the jury present.  The jury was brought in at 9:18 a.m.  

Sellers presented evidence that showed Sweetwater attorney Chris Hartman spent 16 hours over two days shredding documents with Ray Zapata in Sweetwater.

Thursday’s testimony indicated there were only 14 days between the day John Sullivan’s will was written and the estate was awarded to Young.  

Much information was presented outside the jury’s presence about an audio recording made by Ranger Hanna with Harvey Graham.  Graham said he knew and had conversations with John Sullivan.  Hanna recorded his interview with Graham.

Judge Brock Jones decided that he needed to hear the entire Harvey recording before it could be presented to the jury. 

So, Defense attorneys played the audio recording of Ranger Hanna’s 26 minute interview with Harvey Graham for the Judge.  In the recording, Graham claimed Sullivan told him he wished to leave his estate to John Young. After hearing the audio, which was filled with unrelated rants about politics, Judge Jones said there was no way it would be played for the jury. 

Sellers presented a case that Hanna selectively included evidence in his crime report that would conclude Young was guilty, and omitted evidence he gathered that could exonerate Young. In addition to the Graham recording, Sellers argued that San Angelo attorney Joe Hernandez was the whistle blower on Young but Hanna didn't produce any audio recordings of the Ranger's interview with him. Sellers claimed Hanna excluded the recordings or witness statements of Jean Bundrant, wife of San Angelo attorney Jack Bundrant, in his report.

Defense attorney Dan Hurley told Judge Jones that if prosecutors weren’t going to call Ray Zapata to testify, the defense would. According to a court filing by Zapata's Lubbock attorney Mark Snodgrass, the immunity the State offered Zapata was too narrow, and worthless, since it could leave Zapata open to future prosecution from his future testimony. The filing suggested if the State offered full use and derived use immunity, Zapata may accept the bargain.

The defense said that Young's Sweetwater probate attorney for the Sullivan estate, Chris Hartman, was also offered some level of immunity for his testimony 

Young’s forgery, theft and money laundering trial continued Friday morning at 9 a.m. in the Tom Green County Courthouse.